Albus Severus Potter and the Nightfire Cult
by Leila Data
Summary: Albus is off to Hogwarts! He expects to have a normal year, but the Potters can't stay out of danger. When a student is attacked, Albus is dragged into the Slytherin world of danger and deception, with his own head of house under suspicion of murder...and Albus begins to discover that not all is as it seems with his fellow Slytherins, his head of house - and himself.
1. The Hogwarts Express

Albus Severus Potter leaned out the window of the Hogwarts Express, his green eyes searching for his family on the platform. The train started moving, and he grinned and waved to his parents and sister as they disappeared from view. His untidy black hair, which was just like his father's, became messier as the train sped up. Albus' eyes glowed. He was off to his first at Hogwarts.

"Come on!" His cousin and good friend Rose Weasley tugged on his sleeve. "We should go find a compartment."

The two made their way down the train, pulling along their trunks and the cage that held Althea, Albus' snowy owl his father had given to him for his 11th birthday. They passed dozens of full compartments until they reached one with James, Albus' older brother, and three of James' friends.

"Hi, James!" Albus said, relieved to have found a familiar face. "Could we sit here?"

James glanced at his friends. "Um…no. Find your own compartment; we have things to discuss that you innocent children shouldn't hear."

"We're only a year younger than you!" Albus protested with annoyance. "And you have room!" he added, motioning to the empty spaces.

"There aren't any empty compartments," Rose said quietly.

"Keep going back, there'll be room," one of James' friends said.

Albus and Rose looked at each other. "Fine," Albus said shortly. His brother was so insufferable at times.

Albus and Rose continued down the train. In the final car, Rose said, "It's no good; everywhere is full."

As if on cue, a girl suddenly poked her head out from a nearby compartment. She had curly blonde hair and bright green eyes greatly reminiscent of Albus'. "We still have some room, if you'd like to sit with us," she offered with a smile.

Rose sighed thankfully and smiled back at the other girl. "Thank you!"

Albus and Rose stowed their luggage and Althea before they sat down next to each other. Rose was seated next to the girl who had invited them in. The blonde girl was sitting across from another girl, but this girl had dark, wavy hair and brilliantly blue eyes. Across from Albus was a blond boy who appeared very out of place and nervous, his blue-grey eyes staring out the window of the car.

"I'm Aries, and this is my friend Iris," the blonde girl said, motioning to the girl across from her. "And this is my brother, Scorpius."

The boy briefly looked from the window to Albus and Rose, nodding politely before gazing out the window again, his eyes slightly blank as though he was not actually seeing the landscape as it passed by. Albus suddenly remembered Uncle Ron saying something about a Scorpius before they boarded the train. Albus struggled to remember, but could not think of anything specific that Ron had said, except that he asked Rose to beat him on every test. Albus grinned; Rose probably would.

"I'm Rose," his cousin said, breaking Albus out of his thoughts. "And this is my cousin Albus."

"Are you two just starting at Hogwarts?" Iris asked.

Albus and Rose nodded.

"Iris and I are starting our second year," Aries said. "But Scorpius is a first year, too."

"Are you nervous about the Sorting?" Scorpius asked suddenly. "What if it puts me in the wrong house? What if I don't like the house?" he continued, more to himself than anyone in the compartment. A look of horror suddenly crossed the boy's face. "What if mum doesn't like the house I'm in?" He put a hand over his mouth and shook his head. "Oh, no, oh no!"

Iris laughed quietly as Aries consoled her brother. "There's nothing to worry about—I haven't heard of the Sorting Hat being wrong. Anyway, you'll be with Iris and me, no doubt. Our whole family has been in the same house."

"That's just it!" Scorpius exclaimed, appearing even more frightened than before. "What if I'm not? I'll be a laughingstock…a failure…father would probably disown me…"

"He would not!" Aries exclaimed as she sat back in her seat and sighed. "You're hopeless, you know that?" She turned to Rose. "I mean, you aren't worried about the Sorting, are you?"

"No-no…" Rose stammered, surprised by the question. "I don't think I am, at least. I mean, my parents were in the same house…but I'm sure the Sorting Hat will make a good choice."

"See?" Aries said. "You're absolutely right. It isn't like you have to go and fight a troll or something."

Iris laughed again. "The only thing to be nervous about the Sorting is having everyone watching you…and especially Headmaster Darcy. He never blinks, that man. He's creepy."

Scorpius moaned and Aries rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, Scorpius, really." Aries suddenly turned her attention to Albus. "Are you worried?"

Before Albus had a chance to answer, a bang, a crash, and loud voices erupted in the corridor. "Serves you right, doesn't it?" Albus' heart jumped in surprised when he recognized the voice as his brother's.

"Shouldn't be a Slytherin, eh?" one of James' friends said.

Albus heard someone mutter something, and James and his friends laughed. "But your Head isn't here now, is she? Can't take away points for something she didn't see."

"Oh, honestly!" Aries exclaimed angrily, her eyes narrowing. "That Potter and his friends are horrible bullies. They think they're so great." Albus fidgeted nervously in his seat. "But stupid Potter never gets into trouble—you can't touch the son of the Boy-Who-Lived, can you?" Aries continued with a scowl.

"Picking fights with individuals in the corridor," Iris added. "One against four is hardly fair. He's a bloody coward."

Aries stood, drawing her wand. Iris followed suit just as the compartment door opened. "Ah, Aries Malfoy! What a pleasant surprise," James said with a grin. Scorpius shrunk in his seat as though hoping that everyone would forget he was there. Which apparently worked as James did not seem to see anyone except Aries and Iris.

"Get out of here, Potter!" Aries ordered, a few red sparks shooting from her wand as Iris raised her own wand a bit higher.

"As pretty and evil as ever, I see," James commented nonchalantly, his own wand raised to Aries' face.

"If you don't get out of here on the count of three…" Iris began threateningly.

"What, a bloke can't—." James cut himself off as his eyes dropped to Albus and Rose. "What the devil are you two doing in here?"

Aries, Iris, and Scorpius all looked to Albus and Rose in shock. "You know him?" Iris asked, looking slightly disgusted.

Albus glanced over at Rose, who looked completely bewildered by everything that was going on. Albus suddenly began feeling the same disgust that Iris was showing. One, he was in a compartment of, apparently, proud Slytherins. Two, he was surprised to realize, he enjoyed their company. And three, his brother was a complete git. He had always known that, but he had not realized how biased and egotistical he was. Albus got to his feet.

"We're here because you told us to go away, and they invited us in," Albus said with as much venom as he could muster, which was probably a pathetic amount, but his brother still appeared completely shocked.

"I didn't say convert to the Dark Arts, I said find your own compartment!" James exclaimed. Aries' eyes narrowed menacingly, and more sparks flew from the end of her wand. "Come on, you two," James said, turning away. "Oh, but first." He suddenly pointed his wand at Aries again and muttered something. But Aries was ready, and she blocked the hex, and then she flicked her wand as she breathed a jinx. James was suddenly hanging in midair as though from an invisible rope around his ankles.

Albus found himself laughing wholeheartedly along with everyone else in the compartment, including Rose. James' friends tried to tug him down with no avail. Aries lazily gave another flick of her wand, and James fell to the floor on top of his friends in a heap.

"I'll tell Professor Longbottom!" James said as he got up. "And he'll tell Headmaster Darcy!"

"You'll tell them what? That you were beaten by a girl?" Aries said with a smirk. James muttered something incoherently as he and his friends ran out of the train car.

Aries and Iris sat back down. Albus also sat down as soon as he realized that he was the only one still standing. He also quickly put away his wand, which he had not even noticed he had drawn. Albus felt his face flush as he realized that he had just pulled a wand on his own brother. He was going to be in a lot of trouble when James told mum and dad.

"So how do you know Potter?" Aries asked, breaking the silence.

Rose looked nervously at Albus. Albus folded his arms and looked down at his lap. "He's…um…unfortunately…he's my brother." Albus heard a squeak that he swore came from Scorpius.

"Your brother?" Iris gasped. Rose now shrunk in her seat, much as Scorpius had down when James had entered the compartment.

"Well, you're a right bit better than him, I can say that," Aries said, looking at the door and twirling her wand in her hand. "I suppose you'll probably be in Gryffindor too, though," she said with a sigh. "That'll be a loss."

"I guess you know Longbottom too, then," Iris said. Albus nodded. "He and Professor Malfoy are all that stands between an all out war between Slytherins and Gryffindors, I think." Albus was unsure if Iris was joking or not.

Rose suddenly spoke up. "Malfoy? Does your dad teach at Hogwarts?" she asked curiously, looking from Aries to Scorpius.

"No, our mum does. Well, our birth mother," Aries added. "She and dad split up about six months after Scorpius was born." Scorpius looked at his hands, almost embarrassed. "Stop it, Scorpius; they keep telling you, it wasn't because of you!" She turned back to Rose, still shaking her head. "She kept around though—she practically lived at the Manor anyway, so it was almost like they were still married. She even kept the name Malfoy instead of going back to her maiden name. But then dad got back with an old school girlfriend of his."

"She hates me," Scorpius muttered.

"Pansy does not hate you!" Aries countered before continuing her story. "We haven't seen much of mum since dad remarried. Pansy does hate her, though, probably because she knows that dad still loves her." An awkward silence settled over the compartment.

"Professor Malfoy is great," Iris said finally, breaking the silence. "You'll like her, I think," Iris said to Albus and Rose. The silence returned.

"Shouldn't we change into our robes?" Aries said, looking out the window. "I think we'll be there soon."


	2. The Sorting

Albus and the others from his compartment shuffled off of the train in the large mass of students. Feeling rather lost despite being with friends, Albus was very glad to hear a familiar voice drifting over the crowd.

"Firs' years, this way! First years, over here, don't be shy!"

Aries quickly hugged her nervous brother before she and Iris vanished into the crowd moving toward horseless carriages. Albus, Rose, and Scorpius joined a lot of young students toward the half-giant carrying a lantern who was calling out to the first years.

"Hagrid!" Rose shouted, waving enthusiastically. "Professor Hagrid!" The large man smiled and waved back to her before continuing to call out for the first years.

"You know that…that man?" Scorpius asked Rose.

Rose looked a bit surprised, seeing as Scorpius had said very little since they had met. "Yes, he's an old friend of my parents."

Scorpius' eyebrows rose, and he looked rather impressed with Rose personally knowing two Hogwarts professors.

The three got into a boat together, along with a boy who had hair that looked extremely wind-blown. He eagerly introduced himself to the three as Thomas Wood, and he was absolutely giddy when he heard Albus' last name. When he was introduced to Scorpius, however, he fell silent and kept looking suspiciously over at the blond the entire trip across the lake.

The first years went up the stairs and entered the castle, many looking around and murmuring in awe. A rather stern-looking, but lovely woman stood at the top of a flight of steps and in front of a pair of great oak doors. She waited for all the first years to enter the Entrance Hall before she spoke, and the whispering ceased as soon as she began.

"I am Professor Clearwater, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts."

Rose elbowed Albus. "That's Uncle Percy's girlfriend!" she hissed with a giggle.

"You will soon pass through these doors and into the Great Hall, where you will be sorted into your houses before sitting down for the feast." Professor Clearwater had clearly given this speech many times before. "There are four Hogwarts Houses: Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin." She said the last of these with slight distaste. "The people of your House will be like your family."

"Blimey, that's a big family!" a voice said jokingly from somewhere behind Albus. A few people laughed.

Professor Clearwater glared at the speaker a moment before saying, "Come along." The doors opened without anyone physically moving them. The large group of first years followed the teacher into the Great Hall. Albus looked up at the ceiling, except that it looked like the night sky. Banners emblazoned with a large "H" hung high above them and lit candles floated a few meters above them as well.

"Wow," he heard Rose say under her breath. Scorpius nodded silently in agreement.

Albus looked down the tables. He found James looking across a table and at Aries Malfoy, who did not appear to notice his glare as she scanned the first years, presumably searching for her brother. When she saw the trio she smiled and elbowed Iris, who followed Aries' gaze and nodded to them.

Albus looked at the teachers' table as he neared. At the center of the High Table, in a large chair that looked much like a throne, sat a middle-aged man with dark brown hair. The man, the Headmaster, was examining the incoming students with piercing black eyes. There was an empty seat to his right, probably Professor Clearwater's seat. Next to the empty chair sat a woman with rather red hair who was currently scribbling something quickly down with a quill. On the Headmaster's left sat Neville Longbottom. Neville was speaking with the woman next to him. The woman had reddish brown curls falling haphazardly about her shoulders, her bright green eyes twinkling as she smiled at something Professor Longbottom said.

Neville turned to look at the first years as they stopped before a stool that had an old, dirty hat on top of it. He smiled at Albus and Rose, who both grinned back. He whispered something to the woman, who looked at them and smiled. She then looked at Scorpius and nodded slightly. Scorpius smiled back and straightened up as though the woman's smile had given him the courage that he had previously been lacking.

"That's my mum," he said under his breath to Rose.

"She's beautiful!" Rose whispered back.

Albus had to agree with Rose. Professor Malfoy was very lovely. Her green eyes found Albus again before she turned back to Neville, who had said something quietly. Albus watched suspiciously as the two shook hands beneath the table.

The murmuring in the Great Hall faded, and Albus followed everyone's gaze to the Sorting Hat. Albus had heard about the hat before, and how it would sing a song at the beginning of each term at Hogwarts, but he was still surprised when a rip near the brim opened like a mouth and the hat began to sing.

"_I know that I'm not pretty,_

_But don't judge by what you see._

_I'll bet that you could never find_

_A hat with brains like me._

_There's nothing in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see._

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And the only hat like me._

_So put me on and I will tell_

_In which house you ought to be._

_You may be in Gryffindor,_

_Where the brave and bold stay,_

_Or maybe in Ravenclaw,_

_Where the wisest find their kind;_

_Or possibly Hufflepuff,_

_Where the kind-hearted find their way,_

_Or perhaps you'll be in Slytherin,_

_Where the cunning lead the way._

_Now put me on, I will not bite._

_I will sort you into your houses_

_And then have a goodnight!"_

The Great Hall burst into applause as Professor Clearwater unrolled a scroll. "When I call your name, you will sit on the stool, place the hat on your head, and be sorted." She looked at the scroll. "Alexander, Mary!"

A girl with hair in a dark brown plait moved cautiously forward, glancing around nervously as she stepped up to the stool. She picked up the Sorting Hat and sat on the stool. She looked at the hat uncertainly before placing it onto her head. After a few seconds, the hat shouted, "RAVENCLAW!" She jumped a little when the hat shouted, and then put the hat back on the stool as she ran to the table second from the left, where everyone seated was cheering.

Albus began to get lost in thought as "Carson, Theodore" was sorted into Slytherin. Albus glanced at Rose, and then at Scorpius. He did not turn to look behind him, but he thought of his brother as well as Aries and Iris. Although Albus had boarded the train fully intent on asking the hat to sort him into Gryffindor, he was having second thoughts. The two Slytherins he had met where not how he had imagined Slytherins to be at all. In fact, they were probably two of the nicest people Albus had ever met. And Professor Malfoy appeared very kind as well; she seemed to be a friend of Neville's, too. Maybe he should just let the Sorting Hat do its thing. He probably had nothing to worry about, he decided as "Finnigan, Michael" was put into Gryffindor. Albus would also probably be in Gryffindor, just like his parents and his brother.

"Macmillan, Erica!"

A blonde girl rushed forward eagerly and shoved the hat onto her head. "GRYFFINDOR!" The table on the left clapped and cheered as she went over to the table.

"Malfoy, Scorpius!"

Scorpius looked at Albus and Rose, biting his lip nervously. Rose gave him a sort of encouraging smile. Scorpius tried to return it, but only managed a sort of grimace as he made his way through the first years and up to the stool and the hat. The hat took much longer than it had thus far on the other students, making Scorpius grow even more nervous. Finally, the brim opened and shouted "SLYTHERIN!"

Scorpius sighed as he went over to the second table from the right, sitting next to his sister and looking at Albus and Rose, relief washing over his face. He then looked up to his mother at the teachers' table. She smiled at him and gave a small nod, showing her approval.

"Moon, Jemima!" was sorted into Hufflepuff before Professor Clearwater said, "Potter, Albus!" Finally, the moment had come. Rose smiled at him as he walked up to the stool. A few people whispered when they heard his name.

He placed the Sorting Hat on his head. "Ah, another Potter! Brave, of course, talented…" Albus' eyes practically rolled into his head as he looked up at the hat. "Hmm…you want to prove yourself…you want to show your worth…very caring…very, very difficult…" The hat stopped talking for a few moments, making Albus worried that perhaps he had not heard its decision, or that something was wrong. But then the Sorting Hat continued. "You're harder to place than your father…let's see…better be…SLYTHERIN!"

Albus' heart stopped. He was certain that he had heard wrong. But when he lifted the hat from his head, the table second from the right was cheering and clapping enthusiastically, the two Malfoys applauding the loudest. Rose looked a bit stunned, but the look on her face was nothing compared to the look James was giving him. He appeared stupefied and thoroughly appalled.

Professor Clearwater gently prodded Albus to get him to get off the stool. He went to the Slytherin table and sat next to Scorpius. He looked up at the High Table, where Malfoy smiled at Albus kindly. She then elbowed Neville, who looked at Albus and back to Malfoy. He reached into a pocket and Albus saw him place a few galleons into her hand under the table. Professor Malfoy smiled as she quietly glanced down at the money and placed it into her cloak.

Albus was brought out of his thoughts when he heard Clearwater say "Weasley, Rose." Albus watched his cousin walk up to the stool. After a few moments, the Sorting Hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" Albus' heart sank slightly as Rose went to the Gryffindor table. Rose smiled sadly at him as she sat down. He had not really expected her to be in Slytherin, too, but Rose was his closest friend, and he was sorry to see her sorted into a different house than him.

"Wood, Thomas!" The boy that had been in the boat with Albus, Rose, and Scorpius was the final student to be sorted. The hat had hardly touched his head when it shouted "GRYFFINDOR!"

After Thomas sat down next to Rose, Headmaster Darcy stood. "Welcome to this new year at Hogwarts." He made a vague motion to the tables. "Enjoy the feast."

"Short and not too sweet," Iris muttered somewhat bitterly.

Albus looked down at the table and gasped. The golden plates, which had been empty moments before, were now overflowing with delectable food. Chicken, roast beef, roast potatoes, bacon, pork chops, carrots, corn, peas…and what seemed to be every possible food one could think of was before him. Albus piled so much food on his plate, he began to feel like a pig.

Albus suddenly spit out his roast chicken in shock as a ghost appeared through the table, silver blood covering his robes. The ghost moved down the table, slashing around with his sword. Albus heard someone further down the table say, "Good evening, Bloody Baron!"

After everyone had eaten their fill, the leftovers vanished, leaving all the plates completely clean. The plates all suddenly filled once again with food, this time desserts: every flavor of ice cream possible, puddings, pies, chocolate éclairs, tarts, strawberries—there was no end to the treats.

Albus somehow managed to eat enough desserts for five people on top of his dinner. The desserts all eventually vanished, and Professor Darcy stood to speak again. "As always, the Forbidden Forest is off-limits, and no magic is to be used in the corridors. Any dabbling in the Dark Arts is also prohibited and will get you expelled." Albus' brow furrowed as Darcy focused on the Slytherin table. "Goodnight."

There was lots of bustle as all the students stood. "First years, this way!" Albus heard multiple older students calling. He spotted a boy with a gleaming prefect badge moving toward the Slytherin first years. Albus and Scorpius followed this prefect, who introduced himself briefly as Jason Zelig, down to the dungeons. They stopped at a blank stone wall. "The password is _basilisk_." A stone door hidden in the wall slid open. Jason led the group through the doors and into the Slytherin common room.

The common room was a very long room, deep underground. Albus could not see any light source except the touches along the walls and the fire that was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece, yet dim, green light bathed the room. The furniture was mostly black leather couches and high-backed chairs. Many old tapestries decorated the rough stone walls. Jason pointed out the boys and girls dormitories before sending them off to bed.

All of his things were up in his room, along with his owl, Althea. After quickly saying hello to her, he changed out of his robes into his pajamas, as were the rest of the boys in the dormitory. At first he was eager to meet them all, but then found that he was too exhausted, as was everyone else. Scorpius fell asleep the moment he lay down, though he was not even under the sheets yet. The others also went to bed quickly, saying goodnight vaguely to anyone else who was awake. Albus lay down on the green sheets after pulling the dark emerald hangings around his bed. He fell asleep almost immediately, slipping into strange dreams with talking chocolate éclairs and scorpions and roses all inside a giant hat.


	3. The Potions Master

Albus and his roommates headed down to breakfast together, all still yawning and rubbing their eyes. Besides Scorpius, Albus was sharing the room with two others: Theodore Carson and Archer Flint. Archer was especially broad-shouldered for his age and spoke of nothing but Quidditch. Theodore was a very timid boy who acted much the opposite of Archer. He had already read through most of his books and acted very excited about starting their lessons. Because of this, Theodore reminded Albus a bit of Rose, and Albus had to wonder why Theodore was not in Ravenclaw.

The quartet set out to the Great Hall for breakfast the next morning. This was the only time Albus did not get lost that whole day. He and Scorpius quickly discovered that their classes were nearly impossible to find.

There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts. Half of them changed throughout the day, making it even harder to find the classrooms. Some of them even had steps that vanished when you stepped on them. Many of the doors wouldn't open unless you asked, and some of them weren't even doors at all, but just walls pretending. The fact that the subjects of portraits often visited each other made it yet even more difficult to remember where everything was.

The house ghosts were all very nice though, at least in general, particularly Sir Nicholas, whose head was barely attached and was often called Nearly-Headless Nick. Nick was kind to all the students, unlike the Bloody Baron. Most students seemed to be afraid of the Bloody Baron, but the Baron was quite nice to the Slytherins, gladly pointing the students in the right direction. However, Albus found that Peeves, a poltergeist, was very mean to the students, throwing chalk at people or pulling out rugs from under them - but Peeves didn't seem to bother the Slytherins very often. Apparently (and thankfully) Peeves was intimidated by the Bloody Baron.

The lessons themselves were more difficult than Albus had expected. Simply waving his mahogany wand with the phoenix feather core and saying the incantations was not all he needed to do to use magic. There was also History of Magic, which was taught by a ghost, Professor Binns. Binns' class was easily the most boring of them all. All they did was listen to him drone on and on and as they scribble down names and dates.

Albus rather enjoyed his Charms class, which he had with Hufflepuff. The Slytherins and Hufflepuffs sat completely separately—the Hufflepuff students sat in the front half of the classroom, and the Slytherin students sat in the back. This was partly to do with the fact that Professor Bones, the Charms teacher, was also the Head of Hufflepuff. However, she did not treat Slytherins unfairly because they were not in her house, something that Albus quickly discovered was a rare quality in the professors.

At first, Albus believed he was going to like Transfiguration. First of all, they had it with the Gryffindors, so Rose was in the class with him. He and Scorpius sat in the desk next to Rose and a blonde girl Albus recognized as Erica Macmillan. Also, toward the beginning of the lesson, Professor Clearwater turned one of the students' desks into a rather large golden retriever.

Albus soon disliked the class, however, not because they found out they were to start by turning matches into needles, but because Clearwater clearly despised anyone from Slytherin house, greatly favoring the Gryffindors even though she was Head of Ravenclaw. While they were attempting to change their matchsticks into needles, Clearwater took ten points from Slytherin when Scorpius and Rose switched needles; Scorpius thought his matchstick was faulty, and Rose tried to prove it was not, and Professor Clearwater accused Scorpius of cheating.

What made Albus even more annoyed with Clearwater was when Michael Finnigan lit his now silver match on fire. The top of his desk was completely scorched and the room was filled with smoke before Professor Clearwater could go to it and put it out with her wand, and the room had to be momentarily evacuated as she opened a window and sent the smoke into the sky, yet she didn't even threaten to take points away from him.

Defense Against Dark Arts was better than Transfiguration, but Albus was sure this would not be his favorite class. Basil Cormac, the professor who taught the class, had been in Gryffindor, and he seemed to favor the Gryffindors in the class slightly over the Slytherins, but it was not as bad as Clearwater had been. Professor Cormac was relatively fair. He seemed to be a good teacher so far, although did little the first lesson except talk a bit about what they were going to be doing that year.

Professor Longbottom greeted Albus enthusiastically when he entered the greenhouse for his first Herbology lesson. Neville pulled Albus aside a moment. "You know, I lost five galleons because you ended up in Alea - in Professor Malfoy's house," Neville said with small shake of his head.

"So that's what the gold was for!" Albus exclaimed, remembering seeing the two professors interact at the welcome feast. He was not entirely certain how he should feel about Professors Longbottom and Malfoy betting on what house he would be sorted into.

Though he had never doubted it, Albus had never comprehended how much Neville knew about his subject. Most of his class full of Slytherins and Ravenclaws obviously had no idea what he was talking about as he explained the course's curriculum. And many of the few that didn't look confused were toward the back of the greenhouse, glaring across the table at the members of the other house. Neville was perfectly fair to the members of both houses…except Albus suspected that he was given a few points more than his correct response to a posed question was worth.

"What do you two have this morning?" Iris asked. Aries and Iris had just joined Albus and Scorpius at the breakfast table Friday morning.

"Looks like…double potions," said Scorpius, looking at his schedule.

"Ah, your first class with mum, eh?" Aries said excitedly. "With who?"

Scorpius referred to his schedule again. "With Gryffindor."

Aries scoffed and nodded. "We did, too. Potter…sorry, Albus…took his first opportunity to try to ruin the class. He made his potion explode all over the Slytherins, giving us all boils. When mum took points away, he accused her of being unfair, saying it had been an accident." Aries shook her head. "It was definitely not an accident; he made sure the potion was tilted toward our side of the room before he added those porcupine quills… I hope you don't have anyone like that in your year."

The owls appeared carrying the post. Althea landed on the table in front of Albus, a small scroll tied to her leg. She lifted it as Albus untied the letter. In very untidy handwriting, it said:

_Albus,_

_Don't forget, you agreed to have tea with me this afternoon. How about around one, after lunch? Bring a friend or two, if you like. Seeing Rose would be nice. I'd love to hear how everything is going, especially with being in Slytherin and all. I hope you're holding up all right._

_Hagrid_

Albus quickly wrote "See you at one" on the back of the scroll and retied it to Althea's leg. Althea nibbled his finger before flying off.

After owl post, Albus and Scorpius headed down to the dungeons. It was the easiest class to find so far because there was only one staircase on the way and it did not seem to move—at least, not thus far.

The Potions classroom was much like the rest of the dungeons, except that a few enchanted windows replicated the weather outside (the sky was rather cloudy that day), letting in more light than the torches along the wall provided. Albus and Scorpius set down their Potions supplies on a table as the other Slytherin students began arriving. Nearly half the classroom was taken up by the time any Gryffindors began to arrive.

Albus had placed his book on one of the other two seats of the table he and Scorpius were at, which made it so no one else sat next to them. Albus waited until he saw Rose enter with her friend Erica before removing the book. Albus waved to her, and Rose smiled and guided Erica over to his table. Erica looked a little apprehensive, but followed Rose anyway, taking the seat farthest away from the two Slytherins.

"Hi," Rose said as she sat down. "Oh, I didn't introduce you before - this is my friend Erica. Erica, this is my cousin Albus and my friend Scorpius." Erica nodded to them and smiled nervously.

Archer and Theodore gave Albus and Scorpius strange looks from the next table over when they saw them sitting with Gryffindors. As each Gryffindor came in, they eyed the table of half Slytherin, half Gryffindor, some confused, others concerned.

The bell for class to begin rang, and the class fell silent, looking around, expecting to see their teacher. Albus looked questioningly at Scorpius, who shrugged. Students began to chat again, but then a wooden door in the back corner of the classroom opened, and the class fell silent.

Professor Malfoy walked into the room, her black cloak and clothing giving her a mysterious air. The Gryffindors all exchanged nervous looks as she surveyed them with an unreadable look. Malfoy appeared to be strict. "I am Professor Malfoy." A few people glanced at Scorpius. "I am your Potions Master. Today you will make an AnimaPotion." Many of the students exchanged startled looks. How could they be expected to make a potion so soon? "It's relatively simple, and hopefully some of you will prove to be promising students." She waved her wand at the blackboard. "Here are your instructions." She then waved her wand to the third, smaller door in the room, which opened and revealed a small room filled with potions ingredients. "There are the ingredients. You will work in pairs. Begin."

At first, everyone just looked at each other. Then Scorpius slowly got to his feet. "I'll go get the ingredients," he said.

"I'll start the fire," Albus said with a nod.

The room was suddenly bustling with students going to and from the storage room. The temperature in the room rose as the fires were set under the cauldrons. Professor Malfoy wandered around the room from time to time, watching the first years' progress. About halfway through the class, she announced, "Your potion should be a pale violet by now."

Albus and Scorpius looked into their cauldron. The potion was violet, but it was not very pale. They looked at each other nervously before they continued following the directions.

Rose and Erica were beginning to panic. Their potion was a navy blue, the color Albus and Scorpius' potion had turned after adding porcupine quills ten minutes before. They were reading and rereading every line of the directions, and were very cautious about performing each step. This had slowed them down greatly.

Albus and Scorpius continued making the potion. Albus felt time slipping away.

Albus jumped in shock at the sound of an explosion on the other side of the room. Albus looked up see Michael and Thomas completely covered in violet liquid, and boils were beginning to appear on their faces. When Professor Malfoy turned to them, Thomas pointed at Michael. Michael looked at Thomas' finger and then pointed back at Thomas. Professor Malfoy made the potion vanish with a wave of her wand before saying, "Finnigan, Wood, in my office." All the Gryffindors looked at each other worriedly as Michael and Thomas headed into Malfoy's office. Professor Malfoy partially closed the door behind her.

"It was Michael who added the wormwood before stirring the potion, Professor," the class heard Thomas say.

"I thought you already had!" Michael exclaimed.

"Enough!" Professor Malfoy said loudly, making the whole class looked to the door. "Five points from Gryffindor for carelessness." She sighed. "Potions is a delicate art and can be very dangerous. I trust you will be more careful next time, or else I'm afraid you will not be able to continue in my class. If that had been a more volatile or toxic potion, you could have really hurt yourselves or others in class."

"Yes, Professor," Thomas and Michael said in unison.

There was silence for a while. "Now go on, might as well watch everyone else finish up." The two exited Malfoy's office, looking ashamed, though it was probably not because they had just been told off in their first Potions lesson. Albus and Rose exchanged a glance before turning away to try to keep from giggling. The boys' boils were now covered by a lavender paste that smelled of roses.

Alea Malfoy reentered the classroom. "You should all finish up in the next few minutes." Albus saw Rose and Erica glance nervously at each other.

Professor Malfoy began making her way around the room, looking at the final product each group of student had made. Her nose wrinkled as she passed a table with four Gryffindors, but said nothing. She appeared thoroughly disappointed, but she smiled when she reached a table of Slytherins.

"Not bad," she said, addressing Archer and Theodore. "It isn't teal, as a perfectly brewed Anima Potion should be. However, it is a rather good potion; it would still be effective. Five points to Slytherin."

All the Slytherins smiled and looked triumphantly at each other.

Malfoy continued around the room. Rose and Erica were frantically attempting to finish before she reached their table. Rose finished the directions on the board just as Professor Malfoy reached Albus and Scorpius' potion, where she smiled again.

"Very good. Looks a little like the sky…not perfect, but very close. 10 points to Slytherin." The Slytherins looked ecstatic, and the Gryffindors all either looked angry or defeated.

Professor Malfoy walked around the table toward a very nervous Rose and a frightened Erica. She stood over their potion, no emotion or reaction on her face. Suddenly her face lit up and she grinned. "I think I just met some of my favorite students." She touched the top of the potion and rubbed it in between her fingers. "This is perfect. Absolutely perfect." Rose and Erica looked completely stunned. "15 points to Gryffindor." Rose and Erica gave the impression of two people who just discovered that they won 1000 galleons in the lottery. Albus smiled at them and gave the two a thumbs up.

"Now," Malfoy said, producing a shot glass from thin air. She pulled up her right sleeve a little before scooping a small amount of the teal potion into the glass. "Here." She handed it to Rose, who looked stupefied. Albus wasn't sure if Rose was reacting to what Professor Malfoy had just requested, or if she was doing the same thing Albus was and staring at the now-revealed black tattoo around Malfoy's wrist that resembled flames. For some reason, the tattoo made Albus shudder with a sense of foreboding.

"What?" Erica said disbelievingly.

"Go on, you made it, you should be the first to try it." Many of the Slytherins exchanged gleeful glances, and the Gryffindors all watched apprehensively. Rose shook her head. "No? All right, what about you, Macmillan?" Professor Malfoy said. Erica tried to avoid eye contact with her teacher. "Go on, Weasley—it isn't poison." Rose handed the small glass back to Malfoy, who sighed. "Okay—Scorpius." Scorpius' head jerked toward his mother. "Why don't you have the first taste? I promise it won't hurt."

Scorpius took the glass and slowly put it to his lips, gazing at Professor Malfoy, trying to decide if it was safe to drink or not. Finally he took a sip. He smiled and drank the rest. He opened his mouth to say something—but instead a hissing sound issued from his lips. Scorpius dropped the glass, which scattered in a thousand pieces across the floor, and covered his mouth with both hands. He tried to talk again, but once again, he hissed.

It was clear that the Gryffindors thought he was speaking Parseltongue at first. But then the hissing faded and his voice returned. "What the heck just happened?"

Malfoy smiled. "This is a potion that causes you to speak with your 'inner animal'. Apparently, you're a snake. Congratulations. _Reparo_!" The small glass fragments all came back together, and a wave of her wand brought the glass to Malfoy's hand. She refilled the glass and handed it to Albus, who gave the potion a doubtful look, but drank it in one gulp.

The potion tasted like peppermint and left a tingling feeling on his tongue. He tried to speak—he was half-expecting a hiss, but then a roar burst from his throat. Albus grabbed his throat with one hand, and tried to speak again, and once again, he roared like a lion. When the roars died, he was laughing. "That's great!"

Professor Malfoy filled the glass again, handing it to Rose, and then filled another one (which she made appear from thin air) and handed this one to Erica. Rose drank first, and when she opened her mouth, she tweeted. Albus and Scorpius laughed. Rose smiled and began chirping happily like a bird, just as Erica began meowing.

The rest of the class all suddenly crowded around, trying to get to the shot glasses Malfoy kept conjuring and filling with the potion. Soon the room was full of snarls and growls and barks and twitters. Theodore jumped when he trumpeted like an elephant, and jumped again when he heard Thomas caw like a hawk by his ear. Michael was jumping around the room, acting like the monkey he sounded like.

"Everyone! Students!" Professor Malfoy tried to get everyone's attention. Albus took another drink of the potion and then roared as loud as he could, causing the students to stand still and turn their attention in his direction. Malfoy nodded to him. "Thank you, Mr. Potter. I'm afraid we are almost out of time for today, and I need you all to clean your tables."

The class grudgingly began to clean up as Malfoy transferred the potion from Rose and Erica's cauldron into a jar, which she closed and took to her office. The bell rang shortly after that, and the students all left, chattering excitedly about Potions.

"Your mum's fantastic!" Albus told Scorpius as they left. "She's really great. Potions is my favorite class already." Scorpius agreed.

"I was a bit worried when she tried to get us to drink the potion without saying what it would do, but that was awesome!" Scorpius said. Albus was pretty sure Scorpius' fear of being the reason his parents split up had vanished. "I'd love to get a hold of some of that potion—it'd make a great practical joke!"

Rose and Erica caught up with them. "That was wonderful! Your mother's a great teacher, Scorpius," Rose said with a smile. "A little frightening, but still."

Albus suddenly remembered something. "Rose, I'm visiting Hagrid after lunch. Want to come? I'm supposed to be there at one, and he mentioned wanting to see you."

"I'd love to! I'll meet you there," Rose said as she got dragged away by the Gryffindor group that was stampeding to the Great Hall for lunch.

"How about you, Scorpius?" Albus asked.

"Hagrid? Professor Hagrid?" Scorpius said. "The—." He made motions with his hands indicated something very large.

Albus laughed at Scorpius' form of sign language. "Yeah, that's him - he's half-giant. So do you want to come?"

"Me?" Scorpius said. "I-I don't know him," he stuttered.

"He said I could bring a friend or two—last I checked, Rose plus Scorpius equals two friends," Albus said with a grin. Scorpius still looked hesitant. "He isn't mean or anything; his size has nothing to do with what he's like."

"All-all right. Sure," Scorpius agreed nervously as the two joined Theodore and Archer on their way to lunch.


	4. Hagrid's Roosters

Chapter 4: Hagrid's Roosters

After they finished stuffing themselves in the Great Hall, Albus and Scorpius made their way across the grounds to Hagrid's. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Scorpius slowed down a bit as they neared the hut, clearly anxious about having tea with a half-giant.

Albus knocked on the door and heard the scraping of a chair across the floor before Hagrid opened the door. "Albus!" In the doorway stood a giant of a man, who had a wild, shaggy mane of graying hair that almost completely covered his face. Scorpius whimpered slightly from behind Albus. "Great ter see ya, come in, come in."

"Hi, Hagrid," Albus said cheerfully as he stepped into the house.

"And I see you brought a friend." Hagrid clapped Scorpius on the shoulder. Hagrid did not seem to notice Scorpius briefly fall to his knees because of the force of the giant's hand. "Rose arrived just a few minutes ago."

Hagrid's hut only had one room. In a corner was a gigantic bed with a patchwork quilt over it. A copper kettle was hanging over an open fire. Sitting at the tall table, in a chair that made her looked like a dwarf, was Rose.

Albus sat on one side of Rose, and Scorpius sat on the other. Hagrid took the kettle from the fire and poured the boiling water into a very large teapot. "So, who exactly might you be?" Hagrid asked, speaking to Scorpius.

"Scorpius, Professor," the blond boy said timidly.

"Call me Hagrid," Hagrid said, getting mugs nearly the size of Albus' head from a cupboard. "Scorpius, eh? That's an interesting name." Hagrid turned and examined him. "Ya know, you look familiar. Yer father come to 'ogwarts?"

"Ye-yeah," Scorpius stuttered. "His name's Draco Malfoy."

Hagrid dropped the mug he was holding, which shattered into dozens of pieces across the floor. Scorpius fell off his chair, his blue-grey eye widening in fear. "Malfoy? You're related to that—." Hagrid stopped himself from saying whatever he thought about Draco. He got out a broom and dustpan and began sweeping up the broken glass. "Then you're Alea Malfoy's son, right?" Hagrid said, his face softening. Scorpius nodded as he scrambled back up onto the chair, his face very pale. "She's a nice girl. Very secretive, though - I didn't know she had a son. Didn't even know she had a daughter until I met Aries when she got detention late last year."

"Do you—do you know my mum well?" Scorpius asked hesitantly.

Hagrid shrugged as he pulled out a cake covered in chocolate frosting. "Well enough for her to help me make this. It's her own secret recipe! Anyone want a slice?" He paused as the three all said, "Yes, please," and then continued as he began cutting four huge slices. "Yeah, I suppose I know her. But no one really knows Alea 'cept Neville Longbottom. Those two are close friends - no idea why, they have nothing in common."

Albus and Rose exchanged a glance. They were probably thinking the same thing - Neville had never mentioned Alea before.

"She's never mentioned him," Scorpius said quietly.

Hagrid gave a grunt that was apparently a short laugh. Scorpius nearly fell off his enormous seat again. "Very secretive, as I said. She comes down often to help me feed the thestrals." Hagrid shook her head. "Been down there dozens of times with her and still don't know if she can see them. Very reserved, your mother."

There was suddenly a sharp knock at the door. Scorpius jumped and dropped his fork full of cake and he turned red. "Who's there?" Hagrid said, walking to the door in two strides.

"The Dark Lady!" a voice called jovially.

"Alea," Hagrid chuckled as he reached to open the door. The three students exchanged a glance. "Well, speak of the devil…" Hagrid muttered, opening the door.

"The devil? I hope you aren't talking about me," Alea Malfoy said, stepping up into the hut. "Oh, hello!" she said as she saw the trio at the table. She walked over to them, putting a hand on Scorpius' shoulder and flashing a bright smile at them. "How are some of my favorite potions students?" She did not wait for an answer before turning back to Hagrid. "I'm sorry, Hagrid, I didn't realize you had guests."

"That's all right, Alea. Have a seat." Hagrid motioned to a large armchair by the fire. "We were enjoying that cake of yer's and were just about ter have some tea. Would you like a cup?"

"No, but thank you, Hagrid," Alea said as she sat down, looking suddenly like a child in the giant chair. "I shouldn't stay long. I only wanted to ask if you were going to need help with those hippogriffs you're having for your Magical Creatures class."

"I may need a bit 'o help when they arrive," Hagrid said. "They should be arriving next weekend, after lunch Saturday."

Alea Malfoy smiled and nodded. "I'll come down here then." She stood. "I'll leave you to the cake. Hope you all enjoy it. And I'll see you three in class next week," Malfoy said, flashing another bright smile.

Hagrid walked her to the door (Malfoy had to take three steps per each of Hagrid's) and Professor Malfoy left after waving to the three. Her sleeve partially fell down her arm, once again revealing the strange tattoo of flames around her wrist. The door closed behind her with a bang, shaking the hut.

There was a moment of awkward silence. "She practically ignored you!" Rose exclaimed. Scorpius looked a bit bewildered.

"See? What'd I tell ya?" Hagrid said. "Strange, isn't it?" But then Hagrid began talking about the hippogriffs Malfoy had come to ask him about, and said no more on Professor Alea's tendency to keep everything to herself. Albus found that he could not help wondering why she was reluctant to say anything special to her own son. The fact that she had never mentioned him, or Aries, to Hagrid, who seemed to be a friend of hers, seemed very odd.

"What am I talking for?" Hagrid said loudly, bursting into Albus' thoughts. "I want to hear all about your first week!"

Albus and Rose chattered excitedly about their lessons. Scorpius mostly listened, sometimes interjecting a small point that Albus left out, until the trio told Hagrid about their first Transfiguration lesson.

"She docked points from me for cheating! I wasn't cheating!" Scorpius said adamantly. "And if I was, Rose was, too."

"Are you sure you weren't doin' anything wrong?" Hagrid asked.

Rose and Scorpius both vigorously shook their heads. "If he was cheating, so was I, and I didn't lose any points," Rose said. "I traded matches voluntarily."

"I don't think she likes me," Scorpius said.

"You don't think anyone likes you," Rose replied, suddenly reminiscent of Aries. Scorpius gave her a look that kept her from going on.

"She didn't take any points when that Finnigan set the classroom on fire." Albus said to prove their point. Hagrid looked a bit defeated.

"Well, not to speak ill of Professor Clearwater, she doesn't exactly…well, you see…" Hagrid said, trying to find the right words.

"She hates Slytherins' guts," Albus said bluntly.

Hagrid shook his head. "No, no…well, yes she does," he admitted. "But don't you go around saying that, you'll only get into trouble."

A shrill shriek came from outside. At first, everyone in the hut just looked at each other, unsure they had actually heard anything. Then Hagrid strode quickly out of the hut as the three first years jumped off their chairs to follow him.

Two third-year girls from Ravenclaw were staring disgustedly at something in the pumpkin patch outside Hagrid's hut. "Ruddy birds. Shoo, shoo!" Hagrid said, waving his arms. A few crows flew into the sky, and the two girls ran off towards the castle.

"Hagrid, what is it?" Albus said, running up behind him.

Hagrid was shaking his head. "This don't make sense," he said quietly.

"What's wrong, Hagrid?" Rose said before she caught up and gasped.

The bloody remains of two roosters lay at Hagrid's feet. Albus grimaced.

"Did the crows kill them?" Scorpius said, looking at the corpses intently.

"No, crows are scavengers, aren't they, Hagrid?" Rose answered, looking up at him.

A shadow passed over Hagrid's face. "I'd better report this to Headmaster Darcy." Rose groaned, making a disgusted face as Hagrid picked up the rooster carcasses. "I'll need permission to put some spells around here to keep away - whatever killed these. Go on and finish the tea and cake. I'll be back soon," he said with a small smile. Albus felt that Hagrid's smile was especially fake, as though attempting to cover how worried he was.

Hagrid headed up to the castle with the roosters, attracting strange looks from the students he passed. The trio headed back into the hut and sat down. Rose struggled to pour the tea from the large teapot before Albus and Scorpius took it from her and cooperated to pour the tea into the giant mugs, spilling more than a little bit on the table. There was silence for a while as they sipped their tea. Albus thought over what had happened outside and had the distinct impression that Hagrid was hiding something from them.

"Well…that was pleasant, wasn't it?" Scorpius said sarcastically, taking another sip of tea.

Rose shook her head. "That was dreadful." Rose looked at her cousin. "Albus? You all right?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." Albus took another bite of the chocolate cake.

Hagrid came back a few minutes later. "Got my permission!" he said, his voice more enthusiastic than his eyes. "Those foxes or whatever got in won't be coming back." The three watched Hagrid sit in his armchair in silence. "You three all right?" Albus nodded quickly. The dark shadow that had passed over Hagrid's face when he saw the roosters suddenly returned. "You know, maybe you ought to head back up to the school."

"We don't have classes this afternoon, Hagrid, we can stay," said Rose. "Anyway, we haven't finished telling you about our week!"

"No, no, you probably have homework, anyway," Hagrid said.

"Are you tired of us, Hagrid?" Rose asked sadly.

Hagrid shook his head violently. "Don't get the wrong idea, Rose, I just thought maybe you all had something to do." Albus knew Hagrid was very worried about something, but he was wary to ask. "All right then, never mind. Anyone want another slice of cake?"

Soon the three were finishing telling Hagrid about their week, and Albus quickly forgot the shadow that had loomed over Hagrid.


	5. Murder on the Second Floor

Chapter 5: Murder on the Second Floor

Albus found a notice pinned in the Slytherin common room. Flying lessons were to begin that Thursday, with Gryffindor. "Great!" Albus said as soon as he read it. "I love flying."

"Are you any good?" Aries asked from where she and Iris sat by the fireplace.

"I'm all right, I guess. I'm not going to make Seeker anytime soon or anything, but I probably won't make a complete fool of myself at the lesson, at least." Albus saw that Scorpius had gone extremely pale. "Oh, no, neither will you," he added quickly. Scorpius was not comforted.

Thursday afternoon, Albus and Scorpius went down the front steps and onto the Hogwarts grounds for their flying lesson. It was partly cloudy and there was no wind at all, the perfect weather for flying. Albus was not worried, because he had flown before. His father had taught both him and his brother the game of Quidditch. Albus was good, but his brother James had always been the better flyer.

A few people were already there, standing around broomsticks lying on the ground. Albus and Scorpius joined a small group of Slytherins, including Archer and Theodore. Albus spotted Rose coming over, but she was with five other Gryffindor girls, so he just smiled at her before turning back to Archer's 'lecture' about flying technique.

A woman with dark skin and darker hair walked over to the collection of students. "Everyone, line up by a broomstick!" There were two rows of broomsticks: the Slytherins all lined up in one row and the Gryffindors lined up on the row facing them. "I'm Gwenog Jones. Yes, I am the former Captain of the Holyhead Harpies. No, none of you may interview me or get an autograph. Now everyone stand with your right hand over your broom and say 'up'!"

A few students appeared to want to speak with Jones about captaining the famous team, but she showed no interest in speaking about this as she glared around at anyone whose broomstick was not at least twitching.

Albus had to say 'up' twice before the broomstick leaped into his hand. Next to him, Scorpius kept changing the way he said up. His broom was rolling around and taking little jumps, but it was at least half a minute before the broomstick finally leapt into his hand. Across from Albus, Rose was also having trouble getting the broom up to her hand. Rose's broomstick jumped to her hand a few moments after Scorpius'.

After all the students finally urged their brooms into their hands, Jones taught them how to properly mount their broomsticks without sliding off the end. She then walked around correcting their grips. The only person she seemed satisfied with was Archer, who had apparently not been merely bragging with his Quidditch stories.

"Now, on three, you should all kick off the ground hard. I want you to hover for a few moments, then lean forward slightly and touch back down." Gwenog Jones looked around sharply at all of them. "And no one go shooting off into the sunset…it'll only land you in detention. Ready? One…two…three…"

The lesson was a disaster. It was obvious that few of the students had ever ridden a broomstick before, and Albus was fortunately one of them. Four students collided simultaneously in mid-air and six instantly crashed to the ground just after taking off. Jones spent most of the lesson shaking her head in frustration.

Scorpius almost made it through the lesson without making a fool of himself…but during their final landing he crashed into Rose, causing her to fall quite painfully to the ground. Albus and Archer were the only students that seemed not to completely disappoint Jones.

"That could have gone better," Rose said as they walked back to the castle, still brushing dirt off of herself.

"I am so, so sorry!" Scorpius was still apologizing repeatedly for running into her. "I'm sorry, I just…made a fool of myself…" He moaned and put his head in his hands.

Albus couldn't help but laugh. "Scorpius, compared to the rest of the class you were the next Roderick Plumpton." This only made Scorpius turn bright red. "Come on, mate, is wasn't all that bad."

"Albus is right. I wasn't really hurt…anyway, you flew better than me." Rose caught sight of Erica waving to her. "See you two later!" she said, running off to join a group of first year Gryffindors.

* * *

"Oh, no, we're going to be late!" Albus said, gasping for breath.

"Potty wotty late for charmsys! Ha ha ha!" Peeves followed Albus and Scorpius down the second floor corridor, shooting ink pellets at them from above.

"Where's the Bloody Baron when you need him?" Scorpius groaned

The two nearly ran right past the door, but managed to skid to a halt in front of it. Scorpius had just put his hand on the handle when Peeves gave a blood-curdling cry. "Murder! Murder on the second floor! Murder…" He continued shouting as he went back down the corridor. Albus turned to Scorpius, confused, and he was then afraid to turn to look behind him. Scorpius' eyes were widened in horror, fixed on something behind Albus. Albus slowly turned around just as the door to the Charms classroom flew open and Professor Bones came out, brushing past the two boys. The entire class seemed to be gathered at the door.

"Peeves! What are you—?" Professor Bones' mouth kept moving, but no words came out. Albus turned.

A body lay on the ground further down the hall. A pool of blood had formed around it. Albus could not even tell if the body was a man or a woman, it had been so mutilated—the body appeared to have dozens of stab wounds. Albus felt his stomach lurch at the sight. Something was written on the wall, in red liquid that was oozing down toward the floor. Albus didn't have time to read it before Professor Bones put a hand each on the two, forcing them into the room. "Potter, Malfoy, into class, now. All of you, take your seats. I will return shortly." She closed the door behind her.

A few students attempted to open the door, but apparently Bones had put a spell on it to keep them locked inside. Theodore suddenly appeared at Albus' side. "What was it? What happened?" Albus was unable to tell him what he had seen, still trying to comprehend the terrible sight. When Albus didn't respond, Theodore turned to Scorpius. "What's happened?"

Scorpius mouthed a few words silently. The whole class, Slytherin and Hufflepuff alike, was gathered close around the two. Scorpius tried to answer again, speaking very quietly, so the students all had to lean in closer. "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware - we are coming."

The class all exchanged confused and frightened looks. "What?" Theodore said. Scorpius looked around, startled, as though he had just noticed that there were people around him.

"The wall…it was written on the wall," Scorpius clarified quietly.

"What's the Chamber of Secrets?" a Hufflepuff asked.

"Slytherin's chamber, Jemima," another Hufflepuff answered. "Haven't you heard the stories?"

All the students dived into telling those near them everything they knew about the Chamber. Albus himself knew almost nothing. He could recall overhearing his parents refer to it, but they never said anything too specific.

"My mum told me about it," Scorpius said to Albus. "It was opened when she was here. A bunch of Muggle-born students were attacked."

"Do you know anything else?" Albus prompted. "Who attacked them? Did she say more?"

Scorpius shook his head. "She only told me about it when I heard dad mention it. She didn't tell me much. She didn't seem to want to talk about it."

The class suddenly silenced as Professor Bones returned to the room. "Everyone is to return to their dormitories immediately. Stay in groups with your house. Now hurry!" The class heeded this very quickly, pouring from the classroom as fast as possible, all trying to get a glimpse of the wall and the body before the students behind them pushed them down the hall. Professor Malfoy and Professor Clearwater were at the scene. Malfoy turned just as Albus passed by. Her features clearly showed that she was in shock. More than that, she appeared to be frightened. Albus supposed she should be, but her eyes were even more worried than Professor Bones'.

Back in the Slytherin common room, Albus was surprised to find that all Slytherin students seemed to have been ordered there. Those from his class were all accosted by other housemates seeking any information on what had happened on the second floor.

"The Chamber of Secrets? Impossible."

"Do we know who did it?"

"Who was killed?"

"Is anyone missing?"

Having told the story to a dozen older students, Albus tried to retreat into a corner, where he found Scorpius ducked away as well. However, he was unable to hide from his sister.

"This is mad!" Aries sat down on the floor against the wall by Scorpius. "This just doesn't happen! People don't get murdered here. Nothing bad happens here, not since the whole Dark Lord thing. But he's dead."

"Who would do something like this?" a voice asked from the crowd standing around them. Iris pushed her way through a few tall boys and sat down beside Aries. "Who would kill a student?"

"We don't know it was a student," Albus said quietly. "It may be a teacher."

The blood drained from Aries' face. "No – it wasn't – it couldn't have been mum, could it?"

"Mum's fine," Scorpius said quickly. "She was at the scene while we were being escorted out."

"Thank goodness."

Silence fell over the room, prompting the group to get to their feet to see why. "I have been instructed to inform everyone that today's classes will be canceled and no one is to leave their dormitory." Albus stood on the edge of the stones at the base of the fireplace to get a glimpse of the speaker. Professor Malfoy stood at the entrance to the common room. "Tomorrow and until further notice, no one will travel outside the common room without at least three companions." Scorpius moved to stand next to Albus. "Do not go anywhere unnecessarily. And yes, Mr. Zelig, I'm afraid that means no Quidditch practice tonight."

A group across the room groaned.

"Leave it to a murderer to choose our night of practice to strike. Couldn't they have done this tomorrow, when the Gryffindors have the pitch?" A few people laughed.

"This isn't a laughing matter, Mr. Graysoul," Malfoy said sternly.

"Sorry, Professor."

As Professor Malfoy turned to leave the common room, a boy shouted, "Professor! We're safe, aren't we?" Malfoy slowly turned back around. "It said the Chamber of Secrets had been opened, didn't it?"

"And it said for enemies of the heir to beware," a girl finished. "But the heir means Salazar Slytherin's heir, doesn't it?"

"So we're safe," Jason Zelig concluded. "Aren't we?"

Professor Malfoy's sharp gaze looked over everyone in the room, coming to rest on her son before she glanced briefly at Albus. "We cannot assume anything." With a whirl of her cloak, she left the room.

The crowded Slytherin common room remained silent.


	6. Suspicions and Slytherins

Chapter 6: Suspicions and Slytherins

"Did you hear?"

"A Slytherin!"

"It doesn't make sense…"

"I know!"

"Why would the heir attack one of his own house?"

"Maybe that _was_ the heir and someone caught him!"

"But who?"

Whispers and rumors plagued the Great Hall at breakfast. The Slytherin table was particularly solemn. While the students had not been told anything about the victim officially, a fourth year Slytherin had been unaccounted for the previous night, and thus everyone assumed the worst. Albus absentmindedly poked at his eggs, staring up at the High Table. Headmaster Darcy appeared especially stern. Professor Bones kept glancing worriedly over at Professor Malfoy, whom Neville appeared to be trying to comfort. Malfoy was extremely pale, and she seemed to be refusing to eat any of the food Neville kept offering her.

The whole of the school suddenly silenced and turned to look at the doors to the Great Hall as they suddenly burst open. Five very serious looking wizards strode in, walking extremely quickly, their eyes flashing about the Great Hall as though searching for signs of danger.

"Bloody hell," Albus breathed. "That's my dad!" The head wizard was an older version of Albus, with the same messy black hair, but Harry Potter had a lightening-shaped scar on his forehead. "And Uncle Ron!" Albus added, seeing the redhead to his father's right.

"Why's your dad here?" Aries hissed at him from across the table.

"I don't know," Albus whispered back, making eye contact with Rose. His cousin shook her head in confusion. "He's an Auror. Maybe he's here to look into what happened."

The five wizards went up to Headmaster Darcy and spoke with him briefly before four of them strode solemnly out of the hall. Harry Potter remained behind, and took a position behind the High Table. His eyes momentarily caught Albus' who tried to silently ask what was going on, but his father merely nodded slightly in acknowledgment toward him before beginning to scan the room.

Headmaster Darcy stood. "Attention, please." He need not have wasted his breath. The entire hall was focused on him from the moment he had begun to stand. "Due to the recent death of Mr. Rupert Nott…" A sudden rush of whispers and murmurs interrupted him. "Aurors from the Ministry of Magic have been assigned to uncover the murderer. And I assure you all, the murderer will be found," he said, eyes dropping to the side, as though looking at someone to his left. Albus noticed Alea Malfoy staring determinedly at her plate as he did so. "While we are sure their presence will keep Hogwarts' students safe, I ask that no one travel alone, anywhere on the grounds. Please continue your meal." He sat back down.

The hall suddenly burst into chattering about Rupert Nott, with people interrogating anyone who even vaguely knew him. "That's terrible," Aries said. "Why would someone kill Rupert?"

"Did you know him?" Albus asked.

"Not personally, but I have seen him before. He seemed nice enough. Oddly quiet, but—." Aries paused as she looked up. "What…?"

Albus looked up as well. Professor Malfoy was walking to the doors to the Great Hall, and Harry Potter following close behind. Albus wasn't the only one who saw this. Nearly every eye in the Hall was watching her as she left with the Auror trailing behind.

Aries' mouth had dropped open in horror. "They can't actually think that our mum…" Scorpius nodded, his mouth also open.

Potions class was awkward to say the least. Albus' father closely followed Professor Malfoy around as she monitored the class' progress with the Anima Potion. She was having them make the potion again as a sort of test, to see if they can avoid some of the mistakes they had made the first time. Unfortunately, most of the class was watching her and the Auror shadowing her with interest instead of focusing on their potions.

Harry Potter did not acknowledge his son during the class. Albus understood this. His father would sometimes ignore friends and family during work. But usually he would at least give Albus and his siblings a smile or a nod. Of course, the situation was particularly serious, with there being a murderer on the loose inside Hogwarts. But Albus refused to even entertain the idea that his favorite teacher was responsible. As mysterious and strange as she was, Albus could not believe that Professor Malfoy would ever actually harm anyone, much less kill them.

The class was almost silent, most not daring to even say a word to their partners; instead, they were pointing and nodding to communicate. "All right, everybody should finish up," Professor Malfoy said after what felt like an eternity.

Albus and Scorpius' potion left much to be desired. Scorpius had been extremely nervous and kept getting the wrong ingredients. Albus usually caught him before he could do any serious damage, but their potion was still a dark green instead of teal.

Professor Malfoy wandered the room, Harry Potter in her wake, looking over the potions. She smiled at very few and gave even fewer house points. Even Rose and Erica, currently her favorite students, only received ten house points for their perfect potion. Unsurprisingly, Albus and Scorpius received none. Professor Malfoy did not comment on their potion all at—she hardly even glanced at their potion before moving on to the next table. As she looked at the potions on the next table, Harry Potter finally looked at his son. His green eyes were very concerned.

"If anyone cares to have a rerun of last week," Professor Malfoy said, taking a glass from the air. "You are all welcome to have a drink of Miss Weasley's and Miss Macmillan's potion."

A few students stood, but froze as the Harry Potter spoke. "Is it wise to have the children drinking that?"

"Of course. It's perfectly harmless," Professor Malfoy said without turning toward the Auror.

"Is it?" Harry Potter said, taking a step closer. "Two first year students just made it. Would you drink it?"

Professor Malfoy took a deep breath and turned around. "Yes."

"Well, then?"

Albus had never seen his father look like that before. He was glaring harshly at Professor Malfoy, daring her to drink the potion. Malfoy arched an eyebrow before she scooped a bit of the potion into the glass and drank it. Albus' father seemed to be waiting for something to happen to her. Professor Malfoy smiled and shrugged.

"Well?" Professor Malfoy looked questioningly at Harry. "Aren't you going to speak?" Malfoy was hesitant, and then she opened her mouth.

An eerie sound came from Malfoy's mouth. It was a snake, but she did not sound like Scorpius had. This hiss resonated from the walls of the dungeon room and seemed to come from further back in her throat.

Albus shivered. The potion suddenly didn't seem so fun after hearing the serpent from inside Malfoy. "Parseltongue?" Harry questioned.

"You would know, wouldn't you?" Professor Malfoy shook her head calmly. "No." The potion had worn off. "That was the potion." She shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a snake," she said, her eyes narrowing.

The door to the classroom burst open, and Ron Weasley strode in. His eyes fell momentarily on his daughter before he handed a book to Harry and pointed to the open page. Harry read it silently, with Professor Malfoy and the entire class looking on. Harry Potter closed the book.

"All right," he said quietly. "Get Neville, he doesn't have a class right now."

"He's already outside," Ron Weasley said, leaving the room.

Professor Malfoy studied Harry as he turned back to her. "I assume that Professor Longbottom can watch your students for the last fifteen minutes of class." Malfoy said nothing. "We need to talk to you about something rather urgent."

"You do, do you?" Malfoy said under her breath.

Neville Longbottom entered the room with Rose's father. He went to Professor Malfoy, who put a hand on his shoulder to lead him away from the Aurors. "I need you to collect the following potions from them and…" She had taken Neville a few paces away from the two Aurors as she dropped her voice and whispered, "What's happening?"

"Ron found something in that book and the Aurors have decided to interrogate you," Neville said quietly, but Albus' table was close enough to hear.

"Do you know what they found?" Professor Malfoy asked, glancing at the book in Harry Potter's hands.

Neville shook his head slightly. "I'm sorry."

"Professor Malfoy, if you will come with us," Harry Potter said. Malfoy took a step toward him in compliance, but Neville caught her arm.

"Whatever you do, Alea, don't lie," he whispered urgently. "About anything. They don't need much." Malfoy appeared to understand what he was talking about.

"There shouldn't be a reason to, Neville," Malfoy said quietly. Neville slid his hand down her arm to her hand, squeezing it while giving her an encouraging smile, which Malfoy feebly returned. She was led from the room between the two Aurors.

Professor Longbottom frowned and watched them leave. He looked around the room. "All right, um…do whatever you usually do for the last fifteen minutes of this class."

The class began cleaning their tables. All the Slytherins looked downcast, and, surprisingly, even the Gryffindors appeared nearly as solemn as the gravity of the situation struck.

Aries and Scorpius both did not eat anything at lunch, although Aries made a show of pushing food around her plate, pretending to have been eating. Albus kept looking up at the High Table to the empty chair next to Neville Longbottom. It remained empty for the entire meal, and four of the Aurors, including Albus' father and uncle, were also unaccounted for.

Albus became even more worried when the students returned to the Great Hall for dinner. Professor Malfoy was still gone. Rumors were beginning to spread again like wildfire, some about how Professor Malfoy had been arrested and taken to Azkaban, and others about how Malfoy had fought off the four Aurors and was on the run in the Scottish Highlands. Albus didn't want to believe either of these, but he had a hard time convincing the depressed Scorpius that his mother was not having her soul sucked out by dementors or hiding in a damp cave and eating rats to survive.

"I'm sure mum's fine, Scorpius," Aries said, attempting to consol her brother and herself. "She's probably just…"

"Dead. Or worse," Scorpius said, his face in his arms.

"That's positive thinking for you," Iris said. "I'm sure Professor Malfoy is all right. Wouldn't we be told if she was arrested? They would probably tell us that we wouldn't be having Potions anymore or something…"

Professor Darcy stood. Scorpius moaned.

"Impeccable timing," Iris muttered as Aries wrapped an arm around her brother, who was on the verge of tears.

"Attention students." Once again, there was no need for him to say this, for the students and the teachers were all giving him their undivided attention. "As many of you have noticed, Professor Malfoy is absent from this meal. Let me assure the members of her house that she is fine." The Slytherins were all less than reassured. "However, Professor Malfoy will not be teaching Potions for the next week or so, due to suspicions about her competency to teach."

This statement caused an immediate uproar. The Slytherins all stood as one and began yelling in protest, and they were not the only ones. Many students from other houses were standing as well, mostly from the Gryffindor table. The Gryffindors seemed divided—half of them stood, and the other half attempted to pull the others down. The High Table was much the same way. Some of them stood, most notably Neville and Hagrid, while others pulled them back down. Professor Clearwater knocked over her glass of pumpkin juice as she attempted to pull Professor Bones back to her seat. Albus suspected that this accusation received an even stronger reaction than if the Headmaster had announced that they believed Professor Malfoy was the murderer…then again, in a way, perhaps this was his way of relaying that message.

"Students, students, please…" Professor Darcy said. "SILENCE!" he shouted. The din quieted, but most of the students remained standing. "I am certain that our Potions Master will return to teaching in a few weeks after a precautionary leave of absence." The students began sitting down again, though most of the Slytherin table remained standing. "Now, please enjoy the rest of the feast."

"He expects us to enjoy the feast?" Aries said angrily, slamming her fork onto the table, which she had been holding when she had stood. "He is mental!"

"Everyone knows she's a great teacher," Iris said. "But if they're making something like this up, that means they probably don't have proof that Professor Malfoy did anything."

"But it also means they probably have evidence that she did," Aries said. By what seemed as fast as telepathy, this idea was passed all the way down the Slytherin table.

"Professor Malfoy has been teaching here for years, longer than Headmaster Darcy has been here, and she's popular," Iris said.

"Yeah, I know," said Aries glumly. "I don't see why they think they can get away with this. It's impossible to doubt that she's a great teacher."

Albus looked up at Professor Darcy. Albus thought he looked far too cheerful as he ate his roast chicken.


	7. Halloween

Chapter 7: Halloween

"I can't believe it…"

"His whole family?"

"Then she couldn't have done it!"

"Maybe she had someone working for her…"

Once again, the Great Hall was filled with rumors. The Daily Prophet had run a front-page article on the mysterious deaths of the entire Nott family at their Manor, and this time the only clue was a message written on a wall in their dining room, which said "All betrayers of the heir shall pay the price."

"I don't understand," Iris said, putting down her paper. "Wasn't the heir You-Know-Who?"

"But he's dead," Aries said.

Iris rolled her eyes. "Obviously, I know that. But Nott's grandfather was in Azkaban for years for being a supporter of You-Know-Who. Why would the heir kill off a family that supported him?"

"A different heir?" Albus suggested, taking a second helping of bacon.

"Sure, the Dark Lord had a kid during his reign of terror," Aries said.

"Just throwing around ideas," Albus said. "Perhaps an heir of someone completely different?" He sighed as he glanced up at the High Table. Professor Malfoy was still noticeably absent.

"Attention, please!" Headmaster Darcy stood. "I would like to wish everyone a happy Halloween, as well as inform you that our first Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin has been moved to today."

The Slytherin table burst into cheers, and the Gryffindor table then tried to out-shout them. "Please, students! Please!" Darcy shouted. "Save it for the match." He sat down.

Aries smiled for the first time Albus had seen since the Aurors had arrived. "I love Quidditch. I'd forgotten the season was starting soon, what with…you know…"

"You just love watching Jason," Iris said teasingly, distracting her friend from thoughts of her mother.

"Do not! I love the game!" Aries said, but her cheeks were tinted pink.

"I love Quidditch, too," Albus said, hoping to rescue Aries from her embarrassment. "This will be great!"

After classes, the four Slytherins made their way down to the Quidditch pitch, along with the rest of the school. Everyone seemed to be showing up for the first game between long-time rivals Slytherin and Gryffindor. Somehow, the four managed to shove their way to the front of the stands to watch. Albus waved to Rose, who was at the other side of the pitch next to Erica. She smiled and waved back at him before continuing a conversation with Erica.

"Ow!" Albus exclaimed as he found himself being prodded very violently on the shoulder. "What is it?"

Aries was pointing to where the teachers were sitting, smiling brightly. "Look!"

"It's mum!" Scorpius exclaimed, jumping up and down and waving enthusiastically.

Alea Malfoy was seated in between Professors Longbottom and Bones. Behind her sat Harry Potter, and seated in front of her was Ron Weasley. She smiled brightly and waved when she saw her children waving to her, and smiled even wider as the whole of Slytherin suddenly began chanting, "Slytherin, Slytherin, Slytherin, Slytherin…"

Darcy stood. "Enough!" he shouted, his voice magically amplified. "Let the match begin," he said less forcefully.

The crowd all cheered as the two teams walked toward the middle of the pitch to meet Gwenog Jones, who was garbed in a referee uniform. The team captains, Jason Zelig and a Gryffindor Albus did not recognize, shook hands. The Gryffindor flinched slightly, and Albus assumed that Jason was doing his best to crush his opponent's fingers.

"Is that your brother?" Scorpius suddenly asked.

Albus had been busy looking at the Slytherin team, seeing if he knew anyone else, to notice the boy Scorpius pointed out to him. "No," he heard Aries breath. James Potter was mounting his broomstick along with the rest of the Quidditch players.

"I can't believe it," Iris said. "He made the team?"

Albus shook his head a bit. "He didn't tell me."

"What do you expect?" Aries said. "He's a git." She did not bother to say 'no offense'. Albus was beginning to get rather used to the comments he kept hearing about his brother, and he tended to agree with most of them.

Jones blew the whistle, and the fourteen players rose into the air as one. For a moment, they were moving gracefully and as one like a dance. Then it instantly turned into a ferocious battle.

James was apparently a Chaser for Gryffindor team. To the Slytherins' dismay, he was good.

"Potter has the Quaffle!" the announcer, a hyperactive Hufflepuff, announced. He was jumping up and down, causing the teachers around him to glare. Alea Malfoy, who was two rows behind the boy, smiled at the back of his head in amusement. "Gryffindor scores!"

Jason Zelig punched one of the hoops as he went by them and shouted a few choice words at the Keeper. "A Slytherin Chaser gets the Quaffle—take it from him!"

"My name is Graysoul!" the Chaser yelled as he passed near the announcer.

"And don't play favorites!" another Slytherin Chaser said as he went after Graysoul to help protect the Quaffle.

"Graysoul shoots and—aw, man, he made it. 10 all," the boy said disappointedly.

"What did I just tell you?" one of the Slytherin Chasers said as he went by again.

"Potter has the Quaffle again! The newcomer on the Gryffindor team is humiliating these Slytherins." Alea glared fiiercly at the boy, no longer appeared amused. "Oh, that's a foul!"

James dropped the Quaffle as a passing Beater whacked him on the head with his bat. The Gryffindor side of the pitch, which including all the houses except Slytherin, all began booing at the Slytherin side.

The rest of the game was even more brutal. By the time the score was Gryffindor 60, Slytherin 50, both of the Gryffindor Beaters and a Chaser were out of the game, as well as the Slytherin Keeper and a Chaser. The other Slytherin Beater had taken over position has Keeper, using his bat to keep the Quaffle from the hoops.

"And Potter has the…oh no, that Slytherin got it back…now the—the Snitch!"

The crowd in the stands rose as one as Jason Zelig dived toward a small gold glint near the Gryffindor hoops. The Gryffindor Seeker quickly began zooming across the field from where he had been on the other side, but it was too late. Jason went straight up into the air, holding his hand high triumphantly, the little wings of the Snitch flapping against his hand.

The Gryffindor Seeker landed on the ground and began jumping up and down on his broomstick until the captain stopped him. James landed nearby the rest of the defeated Gryffindor team as the Slytherins flew around the pitch, giving high-fives to the Slytherins and attempting to hit the Gryffindors.

Albus was very excited about the win, something his brother was obviously not pleased with, for James was staring at him with contempt as he cheered. Albus had the gnawing feeling that he had betrayed him, and betrayed his whole family in fact, by being happy in Slytherin.

"Mum!" Aries and Scorpius ran to their mother as everyone was moving back towards the castle after the game.

Alea Malfoy smiled and uncharacteristically hugged them both. Albus noticed his father watching very closely, almost as though he thought that she would harm them. Albus shook his head in disbelief.

"Professor Malfoy." Jason Zelig came from the crowd while taking a makeshift crown off of his head and being followed by a dozen or so Slytherin girls. He shook hands with her.

"Great job today, Jason," Malfoy said with a smile.

"Thank you, Professor. I'm really glad that you could make it today." He glanced uncertainly towards Harry and Ron. "Does this mean that you will be teaching again? The man they hired to substitute is less knowledgeable about Potions than a first-year."

"I'm sure that he can't be that bad," Alea said, though she was still grinning. "And yes, I will be returning now. This the last time I'm to be under close surveillance," she said, throwing a dirty look towards Ron Weasley.

"See you in class, then, Professor," Jason said with a charming smile.

"Great job, Jason!" Aries suddenly said as he walked away.

"Thanks!" he called back, grinning.

Iris shook her head as Aries blushed. Alea Malfoy looked from her daughter to Jason's retreating back. She smiled understandingly. "Come on, we should head up to the castle. The Halloween feast should be starting soon."

That night, the Slytherins were all in the common room, and the Slytherins seemed to have the tradition of telling each other the most haunting stories they could think of. Jason had managed to get his hands on a copy of the banned Toadstool Tales, and was currently reading a particularly nasty story that had already caused half the first years to run into the bathrooms, complaining of nausea. Scorpius was one of those—he was gone for nearly an hour before he returned. "Do we have to stay here?" he asked, still covering his mouth.

"We do if you don't want to be known as a ninny for the rest of your schooldays," Aries teased. Scorpius groaned.

Everyone in the common room jumped when they all heard an eerie howl, and a shiver shot up Albus' spine. "What—what was that?" Scorpius asked nervously.

"Probably a werewolf," Archer said with a smirk.

"That isn't funny," Theodore said quietly. "That sounds just like one."

The howl echoed again. "Okay, who's the joker?" Graysoul yelled, looking around the common room. "We know you're hiding around here somewhere!"

The howling stopped, but Albus still felt uneasy. "It's all right, everyone," a seventh year said. "It was probably a few Gryffindors prowling around the dungeons, trying to spook us."

"Probably that Potter and his friends," a voice said.

The howl sounded again, but by this time everyone believed is was simply a few Gryffindors running around. Though in the early hours of the morning, after the younger Slytherins had made their way to bed, Albus heard the howling again in the distance. And when he fell asleep, he had strange dreams, about a hooded figure and a werewolf discussing murdering someone.

When morning came, the disturbing dreams slipped from Albus' mind.


	8. Moaning Myrtle

Chapter 8: Moaning Myrtle

The next morning, the Great Hall was filled with happy students, though more than one person was gazing at their breakfast rather nauseously due to all the candy they had eaten the night before, or, for the Slytherins, due to the Toadstool Tales. Despite the general feeling of illness many of the students were suffering, the Slytherins were all very happy due to the return of their Head of House. Alea Malfoy was seated at the High Table in her proper place, currently deep in conversation with Neville Longbottom. Albus noticed that the two looked far more serious than everyone else in the Hall. In fact, Malfoy appeared upset about something. Given the surveillance and treatment she had suffered, this was not entirely unexpected.

Albus watched Alea Malfoy leaving the Great Hall, Neville looking after her worriedly. "Where is she going?" Albus asked himself quietly. He glanced at his friends. "I'll be right back," he said, getting off the bench. "Drank too much pumpkin juice."

Albus left the Great Hall just in time to see Professor Malfoy turn into the grand staircase. Albus peeked around the corner and watched Malfoy go up the stairs. He pulled his head back just in time as Malfoy looked back down toward the ground floor from where she stood near the entrance to the second floor corridor. After a few moments, Albus risked a glance back around the corner. Malfoy was gone.

"What are you doing, Albus?" Albus nearly jumped out of his skin as the voice sounded from behind him. He turned to see Professor Longbottom. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Neville looked around the corner. "Looking for someone?" He looked down at Albus curiously.

"No, Professor."

"Then why are you here?" He looked back up towards where Albus had seen Malfoy.

"I was watching Peeves, Professor," he said, saying the first lie that he could come up with. "I think he's planning…" Neville's face suddenly changed, and Albus had the distinct impression that Neville knew who Albus had really been watching. "I think he may be setting a trap, sir." Albus paused. "On the second floor."

Neville's eyes flashed towards the second floor, and then he looked back down to Albus. His eyes showed that he somehow understood completely. "Thank you, Albus. I'll look into that." Albus was nearly knocked aside as Professor Longbottom quickly began to ascend the stairs. Albus bit his lip. He wasn't quite sure why Neville seemed so alarmed by the fact that Malfoy had probably gone to the second floor. That was where Nott's murder had taken place, but surely Neville did not believe that Malfoy was a murderess with intent to kill again.

"Albus?" He turned to see Aries coming out of the Great Hall. "What's going on? You left so suddenly, and then Professor Longbottom followed you…"

Albus put a finger to his lips and motioned for the blonde to come closer. "Come on," he whispered. Neville had vanished into the second floor as well, and Albus and Aries quickly made their way up the stairs.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" she said as they neared the second floor.

"Shh!" Albus hissed. "I think that we may find out something about the murders," he whispered in her ear.

Aries' eyes widened. "How?"

Albus shook his head, his fingers to his lips. He slowly looked around the corner. The corridor appeared completely empty. He began heading down the hall. Aries grabbed his hand as they tried to move in silence. Her grip tightened when they heard a sudden scream coming from the girl's bathroom. The two froze, hearts pounding in fear.

"Neville!" they heard Malfoy say, almost in anger. "He didn't mean it Myrtle," she continued.

"He did!" Albus heard an unfamiliar, high-pitched voice cry. "He did mean it!"

"No, Myrtle, I'm sorry, I didn't…I didn't mean it like that, I was just…" Albus heard Neville say desperately. But this seemed to make this 'Myrtle' feel even worse, for she screamed even louder, her voice echoing down the corridor for a few moments. Albus then heard Neville give a cry of pain. "That hurt!"

"Good!" Malfoy exclaimed. "You deserve it! Honestly, asking if she was sure she was wearing her glasses…"

"Well, if she wasn't she could have missed something," Neville said.

"I don't care!" Malfoy exclaimed. "Neville, she's the only one who could know anything; she's the only one who's ever in here." There was a brief silence. "I'm sorry, that was…harsh." Albus and Aries were once again creeping along, inching closer to the bathroom.

"That's all right," Neville said quietly. "I know…well, it must be very hard, having the Ministry keep accusing you of these murders…the interrogations, the rumors…" Albus dared to look into the girl's bathroom. He was very fortunate that the two were not facing the door.

Neville had his arms around Malfoy and her face was buried in his shoulder. Her arms were folded determinedly across her chest, as though she had been attempting to avoid physical contact. Neville was stroking a hand through her hair, letting her cry. "Everything will be all right. I promise," he whispered to her.

Malfoy pulled away from him and wiped the tears from her face, looking into the mirror. "I'm being stupid," she said to herself. "Crying doesn't help anything."

"Don't be so sure about that."

Albus and Aries were both just as startled as Malfoy and Neville appeared when they heard the voice. The ghost of a young girl drifted into view. "This bathroom seems to draw many who are sad. And coming here seems to help them. Even Slytherins," the ghost added.

Malfoy smiled slightly, her eyes still red. "Thank you, Myrtle."

"If I remember anyone going into the Chamber in this year, I'll find you," Myrtle said, and the ghost disappeared from Albus' view.

"Moaning Myrtle seems…not so moaning anymore. Ow!" Neville exclaimed as Malfoy whacked his shoulder. "Stop that!" But when Malfoy began to laugh, he smiled. "Come on, let's go back to the Great Hall."

Albus and Aries ran down the corridor. Aries grabbed Albus roughly by the arm and shoved him into the Charms classroom, quickly following him in. The two hid out of view of the door as they heard the two professors go down the hallway.

After a few minutes, when they were sure that the professors were gone, Albus made to go back down to the Great Hall, but Aries headed to the girl's bathroom. "Aries?"

"They asked her about the Chamber of Secrets, Albus, didn't you hear?"

"But she said that she couldn't remember—."

"Couldn't remember anyone going there this year, I know. But that does mean that she knows where the Chamber of Secrets is, how to enter it, and maybe even who went in there before!"

Albus followed as Aries ran down the corridor to the bathroom. She entered and said, "Myrtle?" Albus felt very self-conscious as he entered the girl's bathroom. "Myrtle?"

At first, no one seemed to have heard, but then the pale girl appeared, coming through the door of one of the stalls. "Do I know you?" she asked, looking at Aries curiously. She looked at Albus. "Harry?" she said, suddenly smiling broadly.

"Er—no, I'm Albus," he said, running his hand through his hair. "Wait…Harry? Harry Potter? That's my dad! You knew him?"

"He…he never mentioned me?" Myrtle asked, her face crestfallen.

"Um…no, not that I can remember," Albus said, feeling suddenly guilty, although he wasn't sure why.

Myrtle started sobbing and screaming, and she dived into one of the toilets, causing it to overflow. Aries punched Albus in the shoulder. "That was nicely handled," she said sarcastically. "Now we won't find out anything!"

"I see that you take after your mother," Albus said with a smirk, rubbing his shoulder. Aries hit him again, but in a more friendly way as the two laughed. "Let's go back to the Great Hall."

"Wait," Aries said. She walked through the water, wrinkling her noise. "Myrtle? Myrtle, do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?"

Myrtle's head popped up from one of the toilets. Albus had a hard time suppressing the urge to laugh at the sight. "The Chamber of Secrets?" She rose into the air. "I know a lot about the Chamber of Secrets." Albus noticed that her eyes were not looking at either him or Aries, but at the sink behind him. Albus turned as Myrtle continued. "Harry Potter went into the Chamber before and killed the beast inside it," she said with awe.

"If he killed what was inside of it, then why would my mum think that someone had entered it?" Aries asked herself under her breath. Albus found an engraving of a snake on one of the sinks. He was about to mention it when Myrtle spoke.

"Because Alea Malfoy knows something Harry Potter knows not," Myrtle said mysteriously. Aries looked shocked, probably partially because Myrtle apparently knew that Aries' mother was Professor Malfoy. "There is another monster in the Chamber. One Harry Potter never found out about." Myrtle sighed. "I would have told him if he had visited me more like he said he would," she said sullenly.

"What else is in the Chamber?" Aries asked. Absentmindedly, Albus ran a finger along the engraving of the serpent.

"A basilisk, of course," Myrtle said with a laugh. "That is all there has ever been."

"But you just said—," Aries interrupted.

"Don't interrupt me!" Myrtle exclaimed. Albus and Aries exchanged a nervous glance. "Harry Potter killed the basilisk that Salazar Slytherin left there." She lowered her voice. "But another was born after." Myrtle came closer to them. "Another was born and raised in there. That is the one that Alea worries about."

"Raised there?" Aries said in surprise. "Someone raised another one? Why would anyone want another monster like that?" she asked eagerly.

Myrtle frowned. "You do not know?" Myrtle began whispering sinisterly. "The one who put the toad on the chicken's egg, the one who raised a new monster for the Chamber…" She lowered her voice even more, forcing Albus and Aries to move closer. "…was Alea Malfoy."


	9. Owl Post

Chapter 9: Owl Post

Albus blinked. He had been hoping to find a clue that would help him solve this mystery and clear his Head of House of the crimes. But what Moaning Myrtle had just said shook his faith in Professor Malfoy. Basilisks were deadly creatures associated with the Dark Arts. If the Aurors spoke to Myrtle, and if she told them this, Alea Malfoy would surely be sent straight to a high security cell in Azkaban.

"You're lying!" Aries shouted, her voice echoing throughout the bathroom. Myrtle giggled.

"You don't know your own mother's past? Dark it is…" she said with a grin.

Aries was shaking as she shook her head in disbelief. "What…what else is there?" But Myrtle had already dived back into one of the toilets, giggling madly. "She…she had to be lying." Albus quickly came up behind Aries as she swayed slightly on the spot and he was afraid that she would faint. "Mum?" she breathed.

"Come on, Aries," Albus said, finding his throat extremely dry. "Let's head back to the Great Hall." He tried to pull Aries along, but she remained firmly glued to the ground.

"Are you sure you saw them come from this corridor, Headmaster?"

Albus and Aries exchanged a panicked look when they heard Professor Clearwater's voice echoing from the corridor. Albus grabbed Aries' hand and the two dived into one of the stalls, closing and locking the door. They pressed themselves against the back, one on each side of the toilet, as they heard people enter the bathroom.

"Why would Alea come in here?" Professor Clearwater asked.

"Simple, Penelope—the Chamber of Secrets." Albus glanced at Aries as Professor Darcy spoke. "Harry Potter should have a look around. After all, he once entered the Chamber himself."

"I can't believe that Neville would be involved, Headmaster," Clearwater said. "We know they were up here together. But Neville isn't one to get caught up in Dark magic."

"I may need to have a talk with Professor Longbottom…" Headmaster Darcy said quietly. "Isn't there a ghost that lives in here?" he asked suddenly.

Moaning Myrtle popped out of the toilet in between Albus and Aries. Before she could say anything, Albus shook his head and mouthed, "Say nothing."

Myrtle nodded and exited the stall just as Professor Clearwater was saying, "Yes, there is. They call her Moaning Myrtle."

"Looking for me? I'm Moaning Myrtle!" Albus winced slightly. When upset, or even just feigning upset, Myrtle's voice was quite harsh.

"We were wondering if you would be willing to answer some questions about Alea Malfoy," Darcy said.

"And if I'm not?"

Darcy gave a deep sigh. "Myrtle, we really need to know what she was doing up here."

"She wouldn't want me to say," Myrtle protested. "After all, she's not the first to come in here to cry."

"To cry?" Clearwater exclaimed, sounding startled.

"Oops!" Myrtle said, giggling. "You didn't hear that from me." Myrtle reentered the stall and winked at Albus before diving into the toilet.

"Crying?" Darcy muttered.

"Doesn't sound too sinister," Clearwater commented. "It is possible that the Aurors are wrong. If I was being accused of being a murderer, I would probably cry, too."

After a brief silence, Headmaster Darcy suggested that they head back down to the Great Hall. Albus and Aries continued hiding silently in the small stall for a few minutes before Albus ventured a peek out of the crack between the door and the wall of the stall. The bathroom was empty.

"Come on," Albus said. "We should get back before we're missed."

The two entered the Great Hall a few minutes later. To Albus' relief, few people seemed to notice them, for the owl post was just arriving. Albus and Aries slipped into their unoccupied seats across from each other. Althea descended onto Albus' arm and nibbled his finger affectionately.

Albus took off the letter tied to the owl's leg, and Althea flew away. He unrolled the scroll and glanced at the bottom. It was from his parents, again. He had already received a few short letters from them, all of which mostly seemed to dance the fact that Albus had been sorted into Slytherin. He wasn't sure why this was—perhaps his parents thought it was a sensitive topic to him. To be honest, Albus had not been very good at telling his family about his new life. He had only scrawled one short return note at the beginning of one of his Potions lessons a while back. He felt a slight twinge of guilt as he began reading the letter.

_Dear Albus,_

_Your mother and I enjoyed reading your last letter, as brief as it was. Lily was very excited to hear from you. We hope you are still doing well. Your Aunt and Uncle say that Rose has written them many letters saying that she is having a wonderful time, as are you. I'm glad that you are able to find time to spend with your cousin, even being in separate houses._

Albus frowned. This was getting closer to mentioning his house than ever before. His eyes narrowed slightly as he concentrated on the next paragraph.

_I am glad that you seem to be enjoying your life at Hogwarts, and that you are making new friends there. I trust your classes are still going well. Rose has written much to her parents about a certain teacher—your Head of House, as a matter of fact. If I understand what your Uncle Ron tells me correctly, you are quite close to Professor Malfoy. Rose wasn't hesitant to inform her parents that she is, too. Apparently Professor Malfoy is very popular at the school._

_While I'm glad you are enjoying your life in Slytherin House, I'm afraid this letter is more than a greeting. It is also a warning_. _Due to certain laws in our society, the Aurors were forced to release a dangerous criminal back to Hogwarts. Alea Malfoy is not to be trusted, Albus. There is more than enough evidence to convict her of murder, but she covers her tracks well. I won't go into the annoying and complicated politics of it all, but the end result was that we were forced to release Malfoy from Azkaban._

_My point, Albus, is that she is dangerous, especially if she is sympathetic to Lord Voldemort, as she seems to be. And she is especially dangerous to you. One, because you are my son, and two, because you are in her house which gives her easy access to you._

At this point, Albus felt quite nauseous. Albus turned to the High Table. Neville was speaking animatedly to Alea Malfoy, who appeared much happier than she had been before. She was unrolling a paper, but she wasn't looking at it, for her eyes were trained on Neville's. She suddenly turned away from Neville and straight to Albus.

Albus turned away quickly, holding his letter much closer to his face than necessary. His cheeks became tinged with pink. When he glanced back toward her, she was nodding at whatever Neville was saying as she began skimming the Daily Prophet. Albus dropped his gaze back to the letter.

_Those who study the Dark Arts are extremely dangerous, Albus. Please stay away from Malfoy as much as possible, and never allow yourself to be alone with her. Also, avoid eye contact. She may be able to, for lack of a better phrase, "read your mind." Be safe, my son._

_We love you, Albus, and we look forward to hearing from you!_

_Love,_

_Mum and Dad_

Albus continued to stare at the letter, though he had finished reading it. His faith in Professor Malfoy crumbled to dust. As much as he did not want to believe what he read, he could not believe that his father was lying or was wrong.

"Oh, no."

Albus across the table at Aries, who had spoken while reading the Prophet_. _"What's wrong?" he asked, though he was afraid to hear. He could not take much more serious news today…and breakfast wasn't even over yet.

"There's been another murder," Aries said quietly, suddenly drawing the attention of all those around her. Many Slytherins suddenly began tearing opening their own copies of the paper that they had set aside. "Like the others."

Scorpius leaned over and began reading the front page. "Rodolphus Lestrange," he read allowed. "The former Death Eater, recently released from Azkaban for aiding in the capture of the last of the free Death Eaters, was found in his home yesterday evening. His body was…" Scorpius trailed off as he and his sister both winced. "Ugh…how could they even identify it?" Albus did not ask for those particular details. "Word has It that the murderer left behind mark that bears resemblance to a fire, although this has been unconfirmed, along with the words, 'We are ready.' Suspects: The werewolf Fenrir Greyback, former supporter of You-Know-Who, and…oh, you must be joking!"

"Not your mother," Iris exclaimed incredulously, grabbing the Prophet from Aries.

"I don't believe this…" Aries moaned, putting her head in her hands. She glanced up at Albus, who could not find anything encouraging to say to comfort her. From everything he knew now, he was beginning to believe that Malfoy was a murderer. And he could tell that Aries was beginning to have her own doubts in her mother. "I can't believe…I won't believe that our mother is a killer," she said quietly.

Albus looked up at the High Table once again. Professor Longbottom was reading what appeared to be Professor's Malfoy's copy of the Daily Prophet, his face showing more and more horror as he read. Malfoy had her face in her hands. Professor Bones was reading over Neville's shoulder, also appearing horrified, a hand placed on Alea's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.

"If they take mum again…" Scorpius said under his breath.

Albus found himself gazing up towards the teacher's table again. Neville had his arm awkwardly around Malfoy. Headmaster Darcy's eyes were watching Malfoy very intently. Alea Malfoy raised her eyes to the Slytherin table, which she moved down the table until she reached where her children sat. She then looked at Albus, who diverted his eyes quickly as he remembered what his father had written.

"A werewolf…" Albus heard Theodore mutter as he read.

Something suddenly clicked. Albus grabbed the Prophet from his roommate quite rudely, but he ignored Theodore's protest as he looked at the pictures of the two suspects. Alea Malfoy's image was avoiding looking directly at him, and her hair was almost completely hiding one eye. But it wasn't Alea's picture that Albus was concerned with.

Fenrir Greyback was snarling at him, pointed teeth showing, even though he was not transformed. His hair was matted and gray, and his piercing eyes seemed to bore into Albus'. But all this mattered little to Albus as he continued to stare at the photograph. Images began collecting and become clearer and clearer in his mind. He had seen the werewolf before, he was sure of it. His eyes widened.

Halloween…the dream…the howling…it wasn't just a Gryffindor after all…and it was not a dream.


	10. Liars

It was cold. Cold, dark, dismal - it felt as though all the happiness had gone from the world. Black, cloaked figures loomed around Albus as he walked down a stone corridor. He did his best to ignore them and remain calm, though he wondered why the dark figures were there. Albus did not know what they were, but somehow he knew that they were not supposed to be there.

He stopped before a thick metal door that had a window with bars. Peering inside, he could see a shaggy-haired figure huddled in a corner, hunched over and biting down on the bones left behind by his latest meal. The figure looked up at him suddenly, as though sensing that someone was watching him. The man in the cell grinned, revealing sharp, bloodstained teeth. Albus winced slightly. "You my 'legal counsel'?" the man asked in a harsh voice.

"Of a sort," Albus said. He felt his mouth moving, but his voice was unfamiliar to him. It was a deeper, darker voice.

"By all means, come in," the man said, his eyes glinting. "Don't be afraid—it's not a full moon tonight, and besides, as you can see, I'm chained to the wall." He shook his wrists, and the chains binding him to the stone wall rattled. Fenrir Greyback's eyes glinted.

Albus' eyes flew open as he felt someone shaking him. He tried to pull the covers over his head. "It can't be morning already," he moaned. Whoever was shaking him pulled the sheets off his body. "Hey!" Albus exclaimed. Scorpius was standing beside the bed, his face revealing his distress. "What's wrong?"

"I'm going to prove my mum's innocent."

Albus blinked, his mind still groggy. "What?"

"I'm not going to let my nightmare happen. I won't let the Ministry…" Scorpius shuddered and trailed off. "Listen," Scorpius said quietly, sitting on Albus' bed. "Your dad read something from an old book. After that, the Aurors took my mum away. We have to find out what was in that book. Then we can disprove it."

"And what if it proves Professor Malfoy is guilty?" Albus asked.

Scorpius appeared stupefied. A few moments later, his face flushed in anger. "You think my mum's a liar?" he asked furiously, his voice rising. Theodore groaned and rolled over from the nearest bed. Scorpius glanced at him before continuing. "You think my mum's a murderer?" he hissed more quietly through clenched teeth.

Albus sighed and looked away. "I don't know. I don't know what to believe."

Scorpius eyed him suspiciously. "Do you know something about the murders that I don't?"

Albus hesitated. Should he tell Scorpius about the dream? He had dreamed about someone discussing a murder with Fenrir Greyback and then…

Albus' recent dream suddenly flooded into his mind. Fenrir was in some sort of prison with those dark, cold creatures. Albus shivered, the horrible feeling he had had during the dream coming back to him. He shuddered.

"Remember that werewolf? The murder suspect?"

Scorpius' brow furrowed. "Yes. What's that got to do with my mum?"

Albus sat up, looking at the still figures of their roommates. "Come on, let's go to the common room."

A dying fire was still burning in the fireplace. The two sat near it in high-back chairs. Scorpius leaned forward. "So? What do you know about the werewolf?" he asked eagerly.

Albus took a deep breath. "I think…I think he's in prison. I think he's been arrested."

"How do you know that?"

An innocent question—but Albus felt almost guilty about the answer. How could he tell his friend that he had been having dreams about the werewolf? It wasn't normal. "I just…I think I know. But let's wait until the _Daily Prophet_ arrives Monday. If he's been arrested, it'll probably be in there."

Scorpius' eyes narrowed, obviously knowing that Albus wasn't telling the whole truth, but he didn't press any further on that subject. "Can you ask your dad about the book?"

Albus shifted uncomfortably, remembering his father's letter. "I don't think he would tell me anything."

"You have to try," Scorpius pleaded. "We'll have to go through the whole library otherwise, and the book might be in the Restricted Section, or not in there at all! If you can find out which book, maybe we can find out what it was your uncle found."

Albus sighed heavily, leaning back in the chair as he imagined his father reacting to his son asking about what he had read before taking Professor Malfoy away. He probably wouldn't be happy about it, and be suspicious. Perhaps he would even think it was forged, or that someone forced him to write it.

"I'm not sure if I can be subtle about something like that," Albus said. "But if I'm too obvious, he won't tell me. I'm not sure he would tell me anyway." Albus and Scorpius thought in silence for a few moments. "What about Professor Malfoy?"

Scorpius looked up in surprise. "You want to ask my mum about it?"

"If she's innocent as you believe, it should be no problem. But I think you should ask, not me," Albus added quickly. "She might be suspicious of Harry Potter's son, but not of her own."

"But mum might not know anything about what's in the book!" Scorpius said.

"Will she blame her son for asking?" Albus said sincerely. "She must know how worried you are. And you were there when Uncle Ron showed my dad the book."

Scorpius looked at the floor as he thought about this. "I suppose…" His eyes lit up as he looked back up at Albus. "Professor Longbottom!"

"Neville?" Albus said, blinking in confusion. "What about him?"

"You know him! You can ask him, too. He might know something. Remember what Professor Hagrid said?" Albus shook his head. His memory didn't function all that brilliantly in the middle of the night. "He said that no one at Hogwarts really knows my mum except Professor Longbottom."

"Perhaps with information from them both, we can put some evidence together and prove that you're mum's innocent," Albus said, smiling. He really liked Professor Malfoy, no matter what his father said, and he wanted to believe that she was good. And Albus was going to help prove it.

* * *

Albus and Scorpius were very glad it was Saturday. They could easily find time to speak with Professors Malfoy and Longbottom at some point during the day. Albus had written a letter to his father, but had not sent it yet. The two had determined after writing it that they should find out as much information as they could first.

Albus found Professor Longbottom feeding Venomous Tentacula in Greenhouse 3. "Professor?"

"Keep away from these plants, Albus," Neville warned. "What do you need?"

"To talk to you, sir. It's about…Professor Malfoy."

Longbottom turned toward him, slapping away a tentacle from the Tentacula that crept over his shoulder. "Oh."

"Is my dad right about her, Professor?" Albus asked hesitatingly. "I don't want to believe it, but…she's my head of house, see, and…"

Neville approached him and guided him out of the greenhouse and into his office nearby. "She's not evil, Albus. I know that much," he said quietly.

"Why do they think it's her killing all these people?"

Longbottom gulped. "I'm not in the Ministry's confidence in this matter. You'll have to ask your father."

"My father won't tell me. He only says that she's a murderer. But Hagrid said that you know her better than anyone, Professor," Albus added.

"Professor Hagrid gives me a great deal more credit than I deserve," Neville said with a small smile. "She's my friend. We've been friends for years, which is how I know she is not a murderer. She's not perfect. She's made mistakes. But she did not kill Nott or the others."

"Why do they think that she did?"

"As I said, the Ministry has not told me," Longbottom said firmly. "This will be all sorted out shortly, I think. Now why don't you run along to lunch?"

Albus poked at his food as he thought on his brief conversation with Professor Longbottom. Although Neville clearly believed that Alea was innocent, something about his tone of voice and his behavior made him feel as though he had been holding something back – something big.

"Why do you guys keep doing that?"

Albus looked over at Aries. "What are you talking about?" Aries and Iris rolled their eyes at each other.

"Why are you two watching the High Table like that?" Aries asked.

Scorpius cocked an eyebrow. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just thinking."

"You're a horrible liar, Scorpius," Iris said, shaking her head.

"Father would be so ashamed," Aries said sarcastically. She and Iris exchanged a grin.

Scorpius suddenly stood and left the Great Hall. "Wait, you hardly touched your food!" Aries called after him. "I was kidding!"

"I'll get him," Albus said, following his friend.

Scorpius was sitting on the steps that led to the Grand Staircase, his head in his hands. "I can't even lie to my own sister convincingly," he said when Albus approached. "Bloody hell, how am I supposed to lie to my mother?"

Albus sat down beside him. "It's not lying. You're just asking other questions than the ones you're trying to get answers to." Albus sighed. "I see your point. Then…don't lie." Scorpius looked at him in surprise.

"You want me to tell her that we're trying to find out what was in the book?"

"You could ask about the Chamber, too, she'd wouldn't—." Albus snapped his mouth shut as Scorpius' eyes widened. Albus had forgotten that he and Aries had kept the information about the basilisk to themselves.

"The Chamber? Of Secrets?" Scorpius gasped. "You do know something about the murders that I don't!" he accused.

"No, no, no," Albus said quickly, looking around to make sure no one was nearby. "Aries and I talked to Moaning Myrtle…"

"Moaning who?" Scorpius interrupted.

"Moaning Myrtle, she's a ghost in one of the girl's bathrooms," Albus quickly explained. "Anyway, we talked to her, and she told us about a monster in the Chamber—a monster that your mum raised," Albus whispered so quietly even he couldn't hear himself.

Scorpius' eyes widened. "No!" he exclaimed. "She wouldn't."

"She did—a basilisk. Say that you heard about that from your father."

Scorpius shook his head. "What if my father doesn't know? And what if she knows he doesn't know?"

Albus sighed. "Just ask about the Chamber then, not the basilisk."

The blond put his hands over his face and shook his head. "No, no, I can't do this."

"Don't worry, you'll be fine." When Scorpius did not respond, Albus put his arm around him in an attempt to comfort him. "She's you're mother, you can talk to her."

"Talk to me about what? Scorpius, what's wrong?"

Albus and Scorpius both gasped and leapt to their feet as they heard Professor Malfoy's voice. "Are you two all right?" she asked, looking from one startled face to the other. "You know, either of you can talk to me about anything," she said with a small smile. Her eyes fell onto her son. "Scorpius?" she asked, her green eyes shining with worry.

Scorpius looked at Albus, his eyes pleading for help. Albus took a deep breath. "We're just…we're worried, Professor," Albus said. "We want to talk to you." Albus glanced at Scorpius, who silently thanked him with his eyes for not leaving him alone in this.

"Worried about what?" Professor Malfoy said, taking a few steps closer to the two of them.

"You, mum," Scorpius suddenly said. He bit his lip.

Malfoy smiled sadly and embraced her son. "Come on, you two. Let's talk in my office." She put an arm around each other their shoulders and led them to the dungeons. Albus gulped, eyeing the black tattoo on Malfoy's wrist worriedly. His father would not be happy if he ever heard about this.


End file.
